California Couple Accused of Abusing 14 Surrogate-Born Children in 'House of Horrors'

A California couple has been charged with multiple counts of child abuse involving at least 14 children born through surrogacy arrangements, some of whom were only two months old, according to authorities in Los Angeles County.

Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, were taken into custody at their Arcadia mansion on Tuesday. The pair, described by US media as a couple, entered not guilty pleas during an appearance at a Pasadena courthouse, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

The charges stem from an investigation that prosecutors say has uncovered an unprecedented scale of alleged mistreatment. "The number of children who were subjected to this alleged horrific abuse is unprecedented," Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J Hochman said in a statement announcing the charges.

Prosecutors allege that Xuan and Zhang conspired to subject 15 of the 16 children living in their home to repeated physical abuse. The case first came to light in May 2025 when Zhang brought a two-month-old boy to a hospital with a head injury, reportedly telling medical staff that the infant had fallen from a bed.

Hospital personnel alerted law enforcement, and when police arrived at the couple's residence they discovered what Hochman characterised as a "house of horrors." Authorities found three separate rooms designated as "learning centres," each operating under the supervision of multiple nannies.

The mansion was allegedly equipped with 32 motion-activated cameras, which prosecutors say the couple used to monitor the discipline being administered by the nannies. Footage obtained during the investigation purportedly shows nannies spanking, slapping or hitting the children.

One nanny, 58-year-old Chunmei Li, faces accusations of striking the two-month-old infant who suffered the head injury two days before being taken to the hospital. An attorney representing the couple, Mitchell Krems, told CBS News in Los Angeles that Li was dismissed from her position shortly after the incident. Li was previously charged with one felony count of child abuse under conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Hochman indicated she remains at large, with a $105,000 warrant issued for her arrest.

The abuse allegations are not limited to the children physically present in the home. According to the criminal complaint, Xuan and Zhang operated their own surrogacy company and are accused of making false statements to at least two women who became surrogates. Prosecutors say the couple indicated that Zhang was struggling to conceive, a claim that allegedly obscured the true nature of the arrangements.

As of May 2025, Zhang maintained a spreadsheet tracking 21 children, including those born to surrogates. The extent of the operation suggests a carefully coordinated scheme, according to investigators, who believe the surrogate mothers came from locations across the country and were unaware they were carrying embryos for the same couple simultaneously.

The children were first removed from the couple's custody in July 2025, when authorities raided the home and took 21 children into state care. The Arcadia Police Department said at the time that the children ranged in age from two months to 13 years old, though most were between one and three years old. Fifteen children were taken from the home itself, while six others who were living elsewhere were also later placed in custody.

Krems has publicly defended his client Xuan, stating that he is innocent of the charges. "He is being targeted for exercising his constitutional right to have a large family," the lawyer told CBS News. Krems also described the allegations as a "mischaracterisation" based on the evidence he has reviewed.

The case has drawn attention from those involved in the surrogacy process. Melissa Brisman, an attorney representing two of the surrogates, told CBS News: "This is wonderful news that people will be held responsible for their actions and there will be consequences if you abuse the surrogacy system."

If convicted on all counts, Xuan could face a maximum sentence of 17 years and four months in state prison. Zhang faces a possible maximum of 11 years and eight months, while Li could receive up to 12 years if found guilty.

The allegations raise broader questions about oversight in the surrogacy industry, particularly regarding arrangements that cross state lines and involve multiple surrogate mothers. Legal experts note that while surrogacy is legal in California, the case highlights potential gaps in screening and monitoring that could allow individuals to exploit the system.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges or further arrests. The children remain in state custody as legal proceedings continue.

Both Xuan and Zhang are scheduled to return to court in the coming weeks. The case has shocked the local community in Arcadia, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, where the couple's mansion stood as a seemingly ordinary residence until the raid last summer.

Prosecutors have urged anyone with information about the couple's surrogacy operations or the treatment of the children to contact law enforcement. The district attorney's office has described the case as one of the most significant child abuse investigations in recent county history, given both the number of victims and the complex web of surrogacy arrangements involved.