Key facts
- Prosecutors seek $100 million bail each for Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang.
- The couple faces charges of child abuse, conspiracy, accessory after the fact, and dissuading a witness.
- At least 21 children, aged two months to 13 years, were allegedly abused.
- The couple allegedly monitored nannies physically punishing the children via surveillance cameras.
- Authorities believe the couple operated a surrogacy agency from their home.
Los Angeles County prosecutors are seeking $100 million bail each for a Chinese-born couple, Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, who have been arrested on charges of child abuse and conspiracy. The couple allegedly directed nannies to physically punish at least 21 children, who were born through surrogacy and lived in their California mansion. Authorities stated the couple monitored the abuse through an extensive surveillance system and coached the children to deny the mistreatment before police arrived.
According to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, the case is "unprecedented" and "horrific," describing the abuse as "despicable." Prosecutors are seeking high bail amounts due to the severity of the charges and the defendants' status as flight risks. The couple faces multiple counts, including child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact, and dissuading a witness.
Fifteen children were removed from the couple's home in Arcadia, California, last year after an initial abuse allegation. An additional six children were located elsewhere, bringing the total to 21. The children range in age from two months to 13 years, with most between one and three years old. Police believe Zhang gave birth to one or two of the children, while the rest were born via surrogates hired through an agency operated by the couple, formerly known as Mark Surrogacy and currently as Future Spring Surrogacy. At least eight surrogates have reportedly stated they were aggressively pursued and misled by the couple.
The investigation began in May 2025 when Zhang brought their two-month-old infant to Children's Hospital Los Angeles with a traumatic head injury, reportedly from being violently shaken by a nanny. Despite knowing about the assault, the couple allegedly waited two days to seek medical attention, only doing so after the infant began having seizures. The couple was initially arrested at that time, but charges were not filed pending the completion of the investigation. Surveillance footage seized from the home revealed the alleged daily beatings and physical abuse, with Xuan reportedly seen instructing a nanny to strike a child harder and even joining in the hitting.