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Myka Stauffer, the YouTuber who placed her adopted son with a new family, is the subject of a docuseries. Here's where she is now.

key art for an update on our family, a max documentary series. it shows a woman with blonde hair and the side of a man, depicted in a grainy youtube play window
"An Update On Our Family."

HBO

  • Myka Stauffer was a family YouTuber who chronicled her adoption of a child with medical needs from China.
  • She and her husband faced backlash in 2020 when they said they were placing their son with a new family.
  • Now, Myka is the subject of a new docuseries. Here's where she is today.

In May 2020, parenting YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer posted a video that would change their life.

In the since-deleted video titled "an update on our family," the Stauffers said that their son Huxley, whom they had adopted from China in 2017, had "a lot more special needs" than they had initially been aware of. After pursuing treatment and consulting medical professionals, the Stauffers said that they had made the decision to place Huxley with a "new forever family" who would be better able to care for him. Before deleting their channel, it had over 700,000 subscribers.

The Stauffers faced backlash online for their decision, as well as criticism that they had profited from content about Huxley's adoption before placing him with a new family. Fabletics, Kate Hudson's athletic wear brand, as well as other brands including Chili's and Big Lots cut ties with Myka.

Now, the Stauffers β€” and the family vlogging ecosystem at large β€”Β are the subject of the documentary series "An Update on Our Family." The series, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024, will air on HBO and Max starting January 15. It examines Huxley and the Stauffer family's story and the family vlogging ecosystem in which they existed.

Here's what we know about where Myka Stauffer is today.

Myka Stauffer left social media and hasn't posted since 2020

On June 24, 2020, Myka posted a statement to her Instagram account addressing the controversy around Huxley. In it, she said that she was "naive, foolish, and arrogant," and wished that she had been more prepared when she and her husband adopted him.

"I wanted to help so bad I was willing to bring home any child that needed me," she wrote.

Myka also said in the statement that she and James did not "adopt a child to gain wealth," writing that revenue from their videos featuring Huxley was put back into his care.

"We love Huxley and know that this was the right decision for him and his future," she said. "Praying that Huxley only has the best future in the entire world."

Since then, Myka has not publicly posted on her main Instagram account. Her personal YouTube channel and the family's channel, The Stauffer Life, have been deleted.

While Myka no longer posts online, James maintains his car detailing channel Stauffer Garage.

Myka and James' lawyers, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, told People in 2020 that the Stauffers had consulted medical and education professionals while caring for Huxley.

"Over time, the team of medical professionals advised our clients it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family," they said.

The Stauffer family did not participate in 'An Update on Our Family'

The Stauffer family, who The Columbus Dispatch reported lives in Columbus, Ohio, did not participate in "An Update on Our Family."

Executive producers Rachel Mason and Rachel Knudsen told Business Insider that they attempted to reach the Stauffers multiple times while making the docuseries.

"We wanted them to participate, and also understand them not reaching back out to us," Knudsen told BI.

"We trust that their decision is their decision, and what's best for their family," she continued.

Email addresses that appeared to be associated with Myka Stauffer and the email address associated with James Stauffer's YouTube channel did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

"An Update On Our Family" premieres on HBO and Max on January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will air for three weeks.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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