California 'house of horrors' couple arrested on child abuse charges over surrogacy scheme involving 21 children

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026 · last updated 7 October 2026.

Guojun Xuan, 65, and his partner Silvia Zhang, 38, were arrested at their castle-like $4.1 million mansion in Arcadia, California, on charges of conspiracy to commit child abuse and witness intimidation. The pair allegedly exploited California's surrogacy laws to run their own agency, Mark Surrogacy, drawing in dozens of women to carry children by posing as a couple who simply wanted a sibling for their daughter. Authorities discovered at least 21 children, aged between two months and 13 years, across several properties the two owned.

Security footage seized by police allegedly shows nanny Chunmei Li striking and violently shaking a hospitalised two-month-old baby — she has since fled the country and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

Xuan's attorney Mitchell Krems insists his client is innocent, saying Xuan wanted the many children to grow up as 'good citizens' who would 'make meaningful contributions to society.'

Each surrogate mother was allegedly led to believe she was the only woman carrying a child for the couple, while behind the scenes Xuan and Zhang quietly recruited dozens more using the same heartfelt pitch.