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A California couple has been charged with multiple counts of child abuse involving at least 14 surrogate-born children, some as young as two months old, as well as attempting to dissuade a witness. The pair pleaded not guilty at a courthouse in Pasadena, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported.
Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, were arrested at their mansion in Arcadia on Tuesday. They are accused of conspiring to subject 15 of the 16 children living in their home to repeated physical abuse.
“The number of children who were subjected to this alleged horrific abuse is unprecedented,” Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.
Investigation began after infant was taken to hospital
Authorities said the investigation began in May 2025, when Zhang brought a two-month-old boy to hospital with a head injury and told medical staff he had fallen from a bed.
Police later found three rooms described as “learning centres” in the home, with several nannies supervising the children. Hochman called the property a “house of horrors”.
Prosecutors allege the mansion had 32 motion-activated cameras that the couple used to monitor the nannies’ discipline. Footage allegedly shows nannies spanking, slapping or hitting children.
One nanny, Chunmei Li, is accused of hitting the infant two days before he was taken to hospital. Li, 58, had previously been charged with one felony count of child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Hochman said she was on the run with a $105,000 arrest warrant. The couple’s lawyer, Mitchell Krems, said Li was quickly fired.
Couple operated surrogacy company
The couple ran a surrogacy company and are accused of making false statements to at least two women who became surrogates, including claims that Zhang was struggling to conceive, according to the criminal complaint. As of May 2025, Zhang kept a spreadsheet tracking 21 children, including those born through surrogacy.
Investigators believe the surrogate mothers came from across the United States and did not know they were carrying embryos for the couple at the same time.
Krems called the allegations a “mischaracterisation” of the evidence he had reviewed. He also said Xuan was innocent and was being targeted for exercising his constitutional right to have a large family.
In July 2025, authorities raided the couple’s home and took 21 children into state custody. Police said the children ranged in age from two months to 13 years, with most between one and three. Fifteen were taken from the home; six others were living elsewhere and were later taken into custody.
If convicted as charged, Xuan could face up to 17 years and four months in state prison, while Zhang could face up to 11 years and eight months. Li faces up to 12 years.
