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At the height of her family’s adoption scandal, YouTube star Myka Stauffer was called out for wearing Cartier.

Myka and her husband, James Stauffer, are the subjects of a new docuseries titled An Update on Our Family, which debuted on HBO Wednesday, January 15, following its Tribeca Film Festival premiere last year. The Stauffers, who did not respond to producers’ requests for comment, rose to fame for their candid family vlogs and brought fans along on their journey to adopt son Huxley from China. Viewers turned against the family in 2020, however, when Myka and James “rehomed” their adopted son, who was diagnosed with autism.

Prior to Huxley finding his new permanent home, Myka faced significant criticism for seemingly distancing herself from the responsibility of raising the young boy, who was just 2 years old at the time of his adoption. Although the family made efforts to address his medical requirements, Myka and James enrolled Huxley in speech therapy.

In a YouTube vlog from 2018, Myka mentioned, “We’ve decided to switch to a different speech therapist,” which was highlighted in episode 3 of the docuseries. “We’re not going with the one that costs $500 a month. Instead, we’ll be choosing the one that charges around $70 for a half-hour session.”

Several viewers pointed out the hypocrisy in the comments when they observed that Myka was wearing a Cartier bracelet while discussing reducing expenses for Huxley. At the time the video was released, the bracelet was estimated to be valued at around $6,500.

"But you're telling me you can't manage $500 a month for a speech therapist?" questioned one critic in a reaction video.

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Social media personality Sophie Ross, who was at the forefront of dissecting the adoption scandal, reflected on going down the Stauffer family “rabbit hole.”

“[Myka] seemed to be enjoying a life of luxury while claiming that she lacked the means to care for the child she had adopted,” Ross stated in the documentary.

There has been much discussion surrounding the possibility that Myka and James adopted Huxley primarily to boost engagement on their YouTube channels. Their following surged after they shared heartfelt videos detailing their adoption journey, leading to Myka securing partnerships with brands such as Fabletics, Huggies, Kroger, and others. However, it's worth noting that most of these brands cut ties with the Stauffers in light of the rehoming controversy.

The Stauffer fans started to worry about Huxley when he was missing from the family's videos. When Myka and James first welcomed Huxley into their home in October 2017, Myka expressed that they were sure about their choice, regardless of any difficulties they might face.

“If anything, my child is not returnable,” Myka said in a YouTube video uploaded months before Huxley’s adoption was made official.

Myka and James are the biological parents of their children Kova, Jaka, Radley, and Onyx, who were not adopted. As Huxley gradually stopped appearing in their vlogs, Myka faced criticism for removing comments inquiring about him. In response to the backlash, she and James provided their clarification in a video released in May 2020.

"We would never abandon a child with special needs; this is a deeply personal issue for us regarding Hux, and it wasn't solely about his Autism," Myka explained as she addressed the critics in the comments, asserting that Huxley "desired this choice."

One month later, Us Weekly confirmed an investigation was launched into Huxley’s welfare after news broke that he was placed with another family. The case was eventually closed, as authorities determined that Huxley was safe and happy with his new adoptive parents.

The Stauffers have largely gone off the grid following the scandal, deleting their family YouTube channel. In a June 2020 Instagram post — her last on the platform — Myka issued a public apology to the adoption community.

"We didn't choose to adopt Huxley for financial gain," she emphasized. "Although we did earn a modest amount from the videos showcasing Huxley and his story, every single dollar, and even more, was reinvested into his care. Providing Huxley with the necessary services and support was quite costly, and we ensured he received every possible resource available. … Our love for Huxley is immense, and we believe this was the best decision for his well-being and future. We are hopeful that Huxley will have the brightest future imaginable."