Couple has been accused of operating a suspected human trafficking ring that exploited surrogacy and involved multiple children
A California couple has been accused of operating a suspected human trafficking ring that exploited surrogacy and involved multiple children.
Police have placed 21 children, most from surrogate mothers, in protective custody amid an investigation into Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan. The couple had 15 children living at their Arcadia home, and six others had been moved to other homes.
Police say action was taken after a 2-month-old baby was brought to the hospital with severe head trauma. Security video inside Zhang and Xuan’s home allegedly showed their nanny, Chunmei Li, violently shaking and hitting the baby. Video also showed other nannies abusing all the children, according to police.
Investigators say the children range in age from about 2 months old to 13 years old, but most are between 1 and 3 years old.
Detectives learned most of the children were born to surrogate mothers around the country, and none of them knew they were carrying the couple’s embryos at the same time. One of those surrogate mothers is now raising money online for legal fees after she found out the baby she carried for them ended up in foster care.
Neighbors say the nine bedrooms at the couple’s 10,000-square-foot, $4 million home were set up like hotel suites the last time they got a peek through the front door.
“It’s awful. Anytime there’s kids involved in any kind of abuse, the people responsible need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” neighbor Art Romero said.
Zhang and Xuan were charged with felony child endangerment and neglect. It’s unclear if they will face any more charges related to their agreements with the surrogate mothers.
