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A quiet L.A. suburb is now at the center of a very serious investigation. Authorities in California are investigating a couple, Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan, at the center of a growing case involving more than 20 children, surrogate mothers across the country, and serious concerns about possible abuse and misconduct. The story is unfolding in the upscale Los Angeles suburb of Arcadia and its raising a lot of questions.
According to police, 15 children were removed from the home of Silvia Zhang, 38, Guojun Xuan, 65, in May. The removal was prompted after a hospital reported a 2-month-old baby with a traumatic head injury. Reports alleged that the baby was violently shaken by a nanny, but wasnt taken to the hospital until two days later. That incident sparked a much larger investigation, eventually uncovering six more children living elsewhere. And, all believed to be legally parented by the couple. Most of the children are between 1 and 3 years old, and authorities say only one or two were born biologically to Zhang.
Six women have since come forward, saying they acted as surrogates for the couple. However, the surrogates claim they didnt realize others were involved at the same time. The couple told investigators they simply “wanted a large family” and provided birth certificates that appeared legitimate some issued outside California. Records also show a company called Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC was previously registered to their address. But, the business license was canceled in June.
Investigators have reportedly found more evidence indicating that children in the home may have suffered physical and emotional abuse by nannies. One neighbor described the residence as resembling a hotel, noting frequent visitors and a setup that looked like a front desk.
A surrogate mother from Florida, Perla, 31, is one of the surrogates to come forward. Perla claims she was originally told that the couple only had one child and were seeking another due to infertility issues. She also claims she felt ignored and cast aside after the baby she carried for them did not survive.
I think what hurt me the most was that I feel like the baby was abandonedand I was too, she revealed. Its very devastating and really bad for these kids. Its shocking. I knew something was wrong with my situationI just couldnt put two and two together.
As for whats next the 21 children are now in the care of child protective services. Meanwhile, authorities continue digging into the couples past and whether everything was done legally and ethically. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, which removed the children, couldn’t reveal further details of this case. At this time, its unclear whether Zhang and Xuan have legal representation. Furthermore, attempts to reach Zhang for comment have not been successful.
Currently, Zhang and Xuan are free on bond while facing felony charges of child endangerment and neglect. The FBI has joined the investigation, though formal charges havent been filed yet. Officials say theyre still gathering information on possible surrogacy law violations or deeper misconduct.
Arcadia police Lt. Kollin Cieadlo said, We believe one or two were born biologically to the mother. There are some surrogates who have come forward and said they were surrogates for the children. He also added, I’m not familiar with how the surrogacy laws work. We need to do a much deeper dive.
