{
  "id": 12503348,
  "title": "California couple arrested on child abuse charges in horrifying surrogacy probe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/california-couple-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-in-horrifying",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T00:27:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261007/california-couple-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-in-horrifying-surrogacy-probe"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "LOS ANGELES — An extremely wealthy Chinese immigrant and his wife amassed a brood of 21 children through a surrogacy scheme and raised them in a “house of horrors,” prosecutors alleged Tuesday. Guojun Xuan, 66, and Silvia Zhang, 39, were arrested at their sprawling mansion in Arcadia, a city about 13 miles (20 kilometers) northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The children suffered daily beatings…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "California couple arrested on child abuse charges in surrogacy investigation, police say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/california-couple-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-in-surrogacy",
        "published": "2026-10-06T18:30:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "California couple at center of surrogacy scandal arrested",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/california-couple-at-center-of-surrogacy-scandal-arrested",
        "published": "2026-10-06T18:37:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "California couple charged with child abuse in surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 children",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/california-couple-charged-with-child-abuse-in-surrogacy-scheme",
        "published": "2026-10-06T18:41:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "California couple arrested on child abuse charges in connection with surrogacy probe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/california-couple-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-in-connection-with",
        "published": "2026-10-06T20:22:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "California couple arrested on child abuse charges in horrifying surrogacy probe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/california-couple-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-in-horrifying-12506654",
        "published": "2026-10-07T00:52:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}