WIAA Executive Director Kathy Kaiser spoke with The Atlantic in 2018 about their 2nd Chance Adoption program, telling the publication that they were inspired to start it to keep children out of potential danger of parents trying to place children in new homes on their own.
"We felt very strongly that these families were worth helping," she said. "We opened this program because we could see that there were people that were adopting children overseas and through the foster-care system, and they were unsuccessful in parenting the child."
The outlet also spoke with California-based psychotherapist Mayra Mendez, who noted that "a child that experiences several different placements and family living situations is at high risk for forming insecure attachment" and could be more prone to face unstable moods, depression and other issues.
"There is no easy or painless way of dealing with adoption disruption," Mendez added.
As The Atlantic points out, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates that between 1 and 5 percent of annual U.S. adoptions end up dissolved legally, as of a June 2012 document.
Utah Woman Has Adopted 35 Children — Including 26 with Special Needs: 'They'll Always Feel Loved'
In her Tuesday video, Myka said, "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 [Huxley] needed a different fit and that his medical needs, he needed more."
"For us, it's been really hard hearing from the medical professionals, a lot of their feedback, and things that have been upsetting," said James. "We've never wanted to be in this position. And we've been trying to get his needs met and help him out as much as possible … we truly love him."
Response to the decision made by the couple, who have four other children, ranged from anger and outrage to sympathy and support on behalf of Huxley.
"So disgusting. If her biological kid gets diagnosed with autism will she abandon that kid too?" one Twitter user wrote while another said, "This is sickening. @MykaStauffer you should be ashamed and disgusted with yourself."
On the other side, "This is heartbreaking for me, I can't stop crying. I knew something was not right when I didn't see Huxley. I am a adoptive mother of a dissolution adoption my son is from China. My baby was 8 years old and had special needs his adoptive family couldn't give him the care he needed and made the most heartbreaking decision in their life. This is hard for both families and especially a child they loved so dear to their heart! The family tried so hard to love my baby, but he just couldn't attach to his new family and he [does] have siblings that we keep in contact with once a month. He is happy! Please keep both families in your prayers and Huxley that he gets the love and care he needs."
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