California couple arrested in 'house of horrors' surrogacy and child abuse case

Authorities arrested Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang on Tuesday following an investigation into an Arcadia mansion where 21 children, mostly born via surrogacy, were allegedly abused.

Los Angeles County officials announced that Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan were taken into custody Tuesday at their residence. The couple faces charges including conspiracy to commit child abuse and witness intimidation, with a judge setting bond at $20 million each, according to CBS News. District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the home as a "house of horrors," alleging the couple used 32 motion-activated cameras to monitor nannies as they spanked, slapped, or hit the children.

The investigation revealed the couple operated a surrogacy ring, hiring women across the country to bear children. The Guardian reported that 15 children were removed from the home last year, while six others were located elsewhere; most are between one and three years old. Prosecutors alleged the couple lied to surrogates about their family size, in one instance paying a woman $135,000 for a "miracle baby" without disclosing they already had 16 children.

Inside the mansion, children were reportedly forced to sit at desks for hours in three "learning rooms" under nanny supervision. CBS News reported the couple watched the nannies' discipline on a television near their own desk. While Xuan’s attorney, Mitchell Krems, maintained his client's innocence and blamed a nanny who fled, the District Attorney alleged the couple failed to seek timely medical care for an infant with a head injury and attempted to dissuade witnesses.

Outlets provided different details regarding the initial police intervention. The Guardian reported the couple was first arrested in May 2025, while CBS News noted a raid on the mansion occurred in July 2025. One nanny, identified as Chunmei Li, is currently wanted on an arrest warrant for allegedly striking a 2-month-old baby in the head.

Background

The investigation began in May 2025 after a 2-month-old infant was brought to a hospital with a traumatic head injury. Although hospital staff notified law enforcement at the time, Arcadia police stated they delayed filing charges to complete a full investigation into the household.