California couple arrested on child abuse charges in horrifying surrogacy probe

A California couple, Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, are accused of engaging in a horrifying surrogacy scheme involving 21 children, according to prosecutors. The couple, aged 66 and 39 respectively, were arrested at their luxurious home in Arcadia, a city near Los Angeles. The children were subjected to daily physical abuse at the hands of cruel nannies while the couple monitored the situation through surveillance cameras, prosecutors allege.

The couple is said to have recruited women from across the country to serve as surrogates, falsely promising them they were seeking another child for their family. They face multiple charges including child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, accessory after the fact, and dissuading a witness. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as unprecedented and despicable, emphasizing the severe physical abuse endured by the young children.