LOS ANGELES, California — A California couple has been arrested in connection with an alleged child abuse and surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 children, authorities in Los Angeles County have announced.
Silvia Zhang and her husband, Guojun Xuan, are facing multiple charges, including child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact and dissuading a witness, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Prosecutors are seeking $100 million bail for the couple, citing the seriousness of the allegations and concerns about their potential flight risk. They were scheduled to be arraigned at the Pasadena courthouse.
“This case is unprecedented,” Hochman said during a news conference, describing the allegations against the couple as extremely serious.
21 Children Found in Investigation
Authorities said the investigation centers on a large household in Arcadia, California, where 15 children were removed from the couple’s home last year following an allegation of abuse.
More Read
Another six children who were living elsewhere were subsequently located, bringing the total number of children identified by investigators to at least 21.
The children ranged in age from approximately two months to 13 years old, with most reportedly between one and three years old.
Investigators believe Zhang gave birth to one or two of the children, while the others were born through surrogacy arrangements.
According to prosecutors, Zhang and Xuan operated a surrogacy agency from their home and recruited women from different parts of the United States.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the children’s births, parentage and the couple’s arrangements with the surrogate mothers.
Surveillance Footage Allegedly Captured Abuse
The investigation intensified after a hospital reportedly notified authorities in May 2025 that a two-month-old infant had suffered a traumatic head injury.
According to Arcadia police, investigators determined that the infant had allegedly been violently shaken by a nanny at the residence.
Police said they initially did not file charges because they wanted to complete a wider investigation into the circumstances surrounding the case.
Prosecutors now allege that the couple maintained an extensive surveillance system throughout the property, including motion-activated cameras.
Authorities said the surveillance footage allegedly showed nannies physically abusing and beating children in the home.
Prosecutors further allege that the couple instructed the nannies to avoid leaving visible marks on the children.
Investigators also said that, before police arrived to investigate the allegations, Zhang and Xuan allegedly instructed the children to deny that they had been beaten.
Police subsequently reviewed surveillance footage and issued an arrest warrant for Chunmei Li, a nanny allegedly seen hurting the two-month-old infant. Authorities said she has not yet been located.
Couple’s Attorney Defends Xuan
The couple’s attorney, Mitchell Krems, previously told ABC7 that Xuan’s intention was to raise children who would eventually become productive members of society.
Krems argued that Xuan was investing his wealth in the children’s education rather than spending his money on luxury possessions.
He said Xuan wanted the children to become professionals, including philosophers, physicians, researchers and inventors.
Krems did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the latest arrests.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, said investigators are still trying to determine why the couple allegedly imposed such strict discipline on the children.
Surrogates Say They Were Misled
The investigation has also raised questions about the couple’s dealings with surrogate mothers.
At least eight women have reportedly come forward, alleging that they were aggressively recruited to become surrogates for the couple.
Some of the women, many of whom were first-time surrogates, reportedly said they received misleading or incomplete information about the couple’s family circumstances and intentions.
One of the women, identified as Kayla Elliott, is reportedly seeking custody of a baby she gave birth to for the couple.
Surrogacy is legally permitted in California under a framework that requires, among other things, legal representation for both parties and a written, notarized agreement before an embryo transfer.
However, authorities are investigating whether the arrangements involving Zhang and Xuan complied with applicable laws and whether surrogate mothers were properly informed about the circumstances surrounding the children.
Investigation Continues
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the children, their parentage and the alleged conduct inside the Arcadia home.
Hochman said one of the defendants could face more than 17 years in prison if convicted.
The charges against Zhang and Xuan are allegations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The case has drawn significant attention because of the number of children involved, the alleged abuse captured on surveillance footage and the unusual circumstances surrounding the family’s surrogacy arrangements.
Authorities say further developments are expected as the criminal proceedings and investigation continue.
