YouTube star Myka Stauffer has told fans she’s “done the right thing” by “rehoming” her five-year-old adopted son Huxley, who has autism.
The 33-year-old internet star has faced backlash after she and her husband James revealed they were placing their son, who they adopted from China in 2017, in the care of another family.
Myka has taken to social media to tell her followers that she is standing by her decision, which has since led to her losing numerous partnership deals.
In a lengthy statement on Instagram, the vlogger penned: “I want to first off apologise for the uproar and take full responsibility for all of the hurt that I have caused.
YouTuber Myka Stauffer has taken to social media to address the “upraor” over her decision to send her autistic son (Image: Myka Stauffer/Youtube)
“This decision has caused so many people heartbreak and I’m sorry for letting down so many women that looked up to me as a mother.
“I’m sorry for the confusion and pain I have caused, and I am sorry for not being able to tell more of my story from the beginning.”
Myka, who has four biological children, continued: “I could never have anticipated the incidents which occurred on a private level to ever have happened, and I was trying my best to navigate the hardest thing I have ever been through.
The vlogge told fans she’s “done the right thing” by “rehoming” her adopted son (Image: Myka Stauffer/Instagram)
“I apologise for being so naive when I started the adoption process, I was not selective or fully equipped or prepared.”
She continued: “I received one day of watching at home online video training and gained my Hague adoption certification which was required by my accredited adoption agency. For me, I needed more training.
“I can’t say I wish this never happened because I’m still so glad Huxley is here and getting all of the help he needs.
The Internet star told her fans that the decision was “best for” Huxley (Image: Myka Stauffer/Instagram)
“I also know that even though he is happier in his new home and doing better that he still experienced trauma and I’m sorry, no adoptee deserves any more trauma.”
She added: “I wanted to help so bad I was willing to bring home any child that needed me.
“For this I was naive, foolish, and arrogant. I wish so bad I would have been more prepared and done more.
“I wish the decision to disrupt never had to be made.
Myka and James first incited outrage last month when they shared a tearful video saying they’ve decided to “rehome” their adopted son (Image: Myka Stauffer/Youtube)
“Adoption and all special needs are amazing and I have a ton of respect for every adoptee, adoption parents, and special needs parent.
“I look up to you in a million ways. And I’m sorry for hurting the community in any way.”
Myka and James have four other children: Kova, eight, Jaka, six, Radley, four, and Onyx, 11 months.
The parents first incited outrage last month when they shared a tearful video saying they’ve decided to “rehome” their adopted son.
Shortly after that Myka removed all images of Huxley from her Instagram account.
James explained that three years after adopting the boy, he and his wife had discovered “there were a lot more special needs that we were not aware of”.
Myka had previously stated that the toddler has autism and brain trauma, and required a lot of specialised care.
She added that an adoption agency had helped place Huxley with his “forever family”.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
