Arcadia couple charged with orchestrating abuse of 21 surrogate-born children
Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, a couple in Arcadia, California, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit child abuse and witness intimidation. Prosecutors allege the pair operated a 'house of horrors' in their mansion, where 21 children—most born via surrogacy—were subjected to daily physical punishment monitored through a network of 32 cameras. The investigation began in May 2025 after a two-month-old infant was hospitalized with head injuries. While the couple pleaded not guilty and are held on $20 million bail each, their attorney argues they are being unfairly targeted for exercising their right to have a large family, blaming nannies for the abuse. Surrogates involved have stated they were misled about the couple's family size and intentions, with some receiving up to $135,000 per pregnancy. All 21 children are now in state custody, and a nanny accused of striking the infant remains at large.
