LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California couple has been arrested on child abuse charges in connection with a surrogacy scheme that involved at least 21 children, authorities announced Tuesday.
Silvia Zhang and her husband, Guojun Xuan, face multiple counts of child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact, and dissuading a witness. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as "unprecedented" and "horrific," citing allegations of physical abuse and punishment inflicted on the children, who range in age from a few months to 13 years old.
Prosecutors are seeking $100 million bail for the couple, citing the gravity of the charges and the potential for them to flee. They are scheduled to be arraigned in Pasadena.
Last year, 15 children were removed from the couple's Arcadia home following an abuse allegation. Authorities subsequently located another six children living elsewhere. Most of the children are between 1 and 3 years old. Investigators believe Zhang gave birth to one or two of the children, with the rest born via surrogates.
Hochman stated that the couple operated a surrogacy agency from their residence, using it to hire surrogates across the U.S. He characterized the home as a "house of horrors" for the children.
The couple's initial arrest occurred in May 2025 after a hospital reported a 2-month-old infant in their care had sustained a traumatic head injury, allegedly from being violently shaken by a nanny. Arcadia police deferred filing charges at the time to complete their investigation.
According to Hochman, the couple had designated three rooms in their home as "learning centers" where children spent several hours daily under the supervision of nannies. Surveillance footage, including motion-activated cameras, reportedly showed nannies subjecting the children to daily beatings and physical abuse. The nannies were instructed not to leave visible marks on the children. Prior to police intervention in May 2025, Zhang and Xuan allegedly instructed the children to deny any abuse.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage depicting the nannies harming the children. An arrest warrant was issued for one nanny, Chunmei Li, seen hurting the infant, but she has not been located. Hochman indicated that the defendant facing the most serious charges could be sentenced to over 17 years in prison if convicted.
The couple's motivations are still under investigation, as is the parentage of each child. Mitchell Krems, an attorney for Xuan, previously stated that his client's goal was to raise children who would contribute to society, investing resources in their education to become future innovators and professionals. Krems did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the recent arrests.
Surrogacy, an agreement for a woman to carry and deliver a child for another party, lacks federal regulation in the U.S., with individual states determining their own laws. California is considered particularly favorable for surrogacy due to its established legal framework, which typically requires written contracts and legal representation for all parties before an embryo transfer.
Investigators are examining whether the couple misled surrogates nationwide. At least eight women have come forward, alleging they were aggressively recruited by the couple and provided with incomplete or misleading information about the family's situation and intentions. Kayla Elliott, one such surrogate, is reportedly seeking custody of the child she birthed for the couple.