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'I Was Naive, Foolish, And Arrogant': YouTube Influencer Who 'Rehomed' Son Issues Apology
Myka Stauffer posted her apology to Instagram, while her YouTube page remains inactive.
The YouTube influencer mom who came under heavy criticism after announcing she "rehomed" her adopted, autistic son is now apologizing publicly for the outrage.
Myka Stauffer had been silent since announcing she had "rehomed" her son in an emotional YouTube video posted in late May that was later removed from public view. But how she's addressing the issue in a new post on her Instagram page.
"I want to first off apologize for the uproar and take full responsibility for all the hurt that I have caused," Stauffer wrote. "This decision has caused so many people heart break [sic] and I'm sorry for letting down so many women who 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," she continued. "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 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. 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 wrote of Huxley, not going into exact detail about why she gave up her adopted son.
Stauffer also attempted to debunk rumors about her family in her post, writing “we did not adopt a child to gain wealth" and "we are not under any type of investigation."
Huxley, who was adopted from China, was a prominent feature on their monetized YouTube channel for years, with Myka Stauffer positioning herself as an international adoption advocate, which furthered the backlash against the couple for "rehoming" the young boy.
The announcement even prompted the Delaware County Sheriff's Department in Ohio to launch an investigation into Huxley's well-being.
"The investigation has concluded and the case is now closed," a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff's Office told Oxygen.com.
The department previously stated officials "are confident that the appropriate process is occurring" and Huxley "is not missing," according to BuzzFeed.
"I’m hoping to share more from my side of the story soon. And lastly I’m so sorry for letting you down," Stauffer wrote in her Instagram post.
Myka Stauffer and her husband have maintained formerly active channels on YouTube and other social media platforms, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers. Although her personal YouTube channel remains inactive, Myka's husband James posted a new video to his channel last week.
