Local authorities are investigating YouTuber Myka Stauffer and her husband, James, after the couple shared a video last week stating that they had “rehomed” their 4-year-old adopted son Huxley, BuzzFeed News reported.
The Stauffers faced backlash on social media after announcing that Huxley, who was diagnosed with autism after the couple adopted him from China over two years ago, was living with a new family, according to BuzzFeed.
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office “received several inquiries regarding the welfare” of Huxley, according to NBC News.
“Our primary concern is for the well-being of this child, as well as the other children in the household,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said in a statement, according to NBC News. “Our investigation is ongoing, and will include contact with all children to ensure their safety.”
Myka and James Stauffer, who are the parents of four other children, have been active on YouTube since 2014, according to NBC.
Myka Stauffer’s channel has over 700,000 followers. The channel is also monetized, and some critics have claimed that Stauffer’s videos of Huxley’s adoption in 2017 have led to the growth of her channel, the Deseret News previously reported.
“There’s not an ounce of our body that doesn’t love Huxley with all of our being,” Myka Stauffer said in the video that the couple shared to explain that Huxley was living with a new family. “There wasn’t a minute that I didn’t try our hardest and I think what Jim is trying to say is that after multiple assessments, after multiple evaluations, numerous medical professionals have felt that he needed a different fit and that his medical needs, he needed more.”
Tracy Whited, the community and media relations manager for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, told BuzzFeed that Huxley “is not missing” and that they “are confident that the appropriate process is occurring” in order for Huxley to be adopted by a new family.
“In addition, both parties are being represented by attorneys to ensure full compliance with the court process,” Whited said, according to BuzzFeed.
Adoption cases are confidential. The Stauffers have not shared any information about where Huxley is currently living due to privacy concerns, according to BuzzFeed.
Attorneys for the Stauffers have not commented on the investigation, but they told NBC News earlier this week that their decision to place Huxley in a new home was based on “the advice of medical professionals.”
“To be clear this did NOT include any considerations for placement in the foster system, but rather to hand-select a family who is equipped to handle Huxley’s needs,” the attorneys said, according to NBC. “They were forced to make a difficult decision, but it is in fact, the right and loving thing to do for this child.”