California pair charged with abusing at least 14 surrogate-born children - BBC News                            (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crx23dvnp8vxo)  (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crx23dvnp8vxo)  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crx23dvnp8vxo)  (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crx23dvnp8vxo)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-36.413a37b227.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-48.010dc96bcf.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-57.1fcd0dc805.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-60.52f68a148f.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-72.f155fdb25f.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-76.cb5ee392d4.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-96.35ee2d1e20.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-114.7ccdf53cba.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-120.73e20442a9.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-128.060d346f09.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-144.e08bc23631.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-152.4de1981be0.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-180.1a18cb7b72.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-192.3ac042fa43.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-384.728e3a03d3.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/touch/news/touch-icon-512.685da29e9e.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/favicon/news/favicon-16.8a240ceacc.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/favicon/news/favicon-32.5cf4e6db02.png)  (../../../static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/manifest.11b0cb15658c4719a2c19e25644577223adaa7b2.json)   (https://www.bbc.com)   BBC Homepage    (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#main-heading) Skip to content  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/) Accessibility Help          (https://account.bbc.com/account?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticles%2Fcrx23dvnp8vxo)    Your account       (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#global-navigation-more-menu)    More menu     (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#global-navigation-more-menu)   More menu    (https://www.bbc.com/search?d=NEWS_GNL)    Search BBC      (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#more-menu-button)   Close menu          (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news)   BBC News      (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#product-navigation-menu)    Menu  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news) Home   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cmj34zmwm1zt) Climate   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world) World   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/us_and_canada) US & Canada   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk) UK   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business) Business   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology) Tech   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science_and_environment) Science   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment_and_arts) Entertainment & Arts   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health) Health     (crx23dvnp8vxo@at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss.html#product-navigation-more-menu)    More     (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in_pictures) In Pictures   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/bbcverify) BBC Verify   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat) Newsbeat         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/us_and_canada) US & Canada           California pair charged with abusing at least 14 surrogate-born children      (Silvia Zhang, left, and Guojun Xuan, right, sitting in Pasadena courtroom with two sheriffs standing behind them. Zhang has her hand behind her back and is wearing a blue shirt while Xuan is wearing a black jacket)    Image source,  Getty Images  Image caption,  Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang were arrested at their Arcadia mansion on Tuesday       By Olivia Ireland     Published 36 minutes ago           A California pair has been charged with multiple counts of abusing at least 14 surrogate-born children - some as young as two months old - and dissuading a witness.  "The number of children who were subjected to this alleged horrific abuse is unprecedented," Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J Hochman said in a statement. Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, who US media describe as a couple, were arrested at their Arcadia mansion on Tuesday. The pair pleaded not guilty at a Pasadena courthouse, the BBC's US partner CBS News reported. Xuan, 66, and Zhang, 39, are accused of conspiring to subject 15 of the 16 children living in their home to repeated physical abuse, after 21 children were removed from their custody last year. The pair ran their own surrogacy company and are accused of making false statements to at least two women who became surrogates, indicating that Zhang was struggling to conceive, according to the criminal complaint. As of May 2025, Zhang maintained a spreadsheet that tracked 21 children, including those born to surrogates. Officials said the investigation began that month when Zhang brought a two-month-old boy to the hospital with a head injury, telling medical staff that the baby had fallen from a bed. The couple's lawyer Mitchell Krems said the allegation was a "mischaracterisation" based on the evidence he has reviewed, CBS News in Los Angeles reported. Hospital staff informed law enforcement, and when police arrived at their home they discovered three different rooms called "learning centres" under the supervision of multiple nannies, which Hochman described as a "house of horrors". The mansion allegedly had 32 motion-activated cameras which Hochman said were used by the couple to monitor the discipline given by the nannies. Footage allegedly shows the nannies spanking, slapping or hitting the children.  One nanny, Chunmei Li, is accused of hitting the two-month-old baby who suffered the head injury two days before he was brought to the hospital. Krems said Li was quickly fired, CBS News LA reported. Li, 58, was previously charged with one felony count of child abuse under conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Hochman said she was on the run with a $105,000 (£88,800) warrant for her arrest. In July 2025, the couple's home was first raided by authorities, who took 21 children into state custody. Arcadia Police Department said at the time the couple's house was first raided that the children ranged in age from two months to 13 years old, but most were between one and three years old.  Fifteen of the children were taken from the couple's home while six others were living elsewhere and also later taken into custody. Krems said his client Xuan was innocent. "He is being targeted for exercising his constitutional right to have a large family," CBS News quoted the lawyer as saying. Investigators believe the surrogate mothers were from around the country and they were unaware they were carrying embryos for the couple at the same time. Melissa Brisman, the attorney for two of the surrogates, told CBS News: "This is wonderful news that people will be held responsible for their actions and there will be consequences if you abuse the surrogacy system". If convicted as charged, Xuan faces a possible maximum sentence of 17 years and four months in state prison, while Zhang faces up to 11 years and eight months. Li faces up to 12 years.     Related topics  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c9eddyq8qnjt) Los Angeles  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cx1m7zg01xyt) United States           (vertical video collection) The video playlist   Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC      Previous     Next         1:32 Should some sites of Oct 7 attacks be memorialised or rebuilt? 00:01:32, play video Should some sites of Oct 7 attacks be memorialised or rebuilt?    (A woman with long curly dark blonde hair smiles at someone off-camera. She is wearing a black tank top.)           0:41 Young Tories say how Britain could be better. 00:00:41, play video Young Tories say how Britain could be better    (A young woman with long brown hair talks to the camera. She is wearing a dark-coloured top.)           1:02 Where do fans rank Kane amongst England greats? 00:01:02, play video Where do fans rank Kane amongst England greats?    (Harry Kane)           0:45 PCs who used Taser and baton on amputee, 92, sacked. 00:00:45, play video PCs who used Taser and baton on amputee, 92, sacked    (Body-worn camera footage of a man sitting in a chair. Someone out of shot is raising a baton towards him.)           0:51 Should you be worried about the Asos hack? 00:00:51, play video Should you be worried about the Asos hack?    (Smartphone screenshot of the notification hackers sent to customers.)           0:48 Temperatures set to drop across UK. 00:00:48, play video Temperatures set to drop across UK    (A woman wearing a dark blue coat smiles as she battles the wind)           1:02 How to tell your children you're splitting up. 00:01:02, play video How to tell your children you're splitting up    (Two children and two adults sit on a couch)           0:35 Tofu Reuben toastie. 00:00:35, play video Tofu Reuben toastie    (A halved sandwich above a wooden chopping board)           1:22 What Russia says about death of plague lab researcher. 00:01:22, play video What Russia says about death of plague lab researcher    (A satellite image of a Russian plague research lab.)           0:59 Why are students protesting in France? 00:00:59, play video Why are students protesting in France?    (Students bang against shields held by riot police.)           2:24 'I thought I was a monster' 00:02:24, play video 'I thought I was a monster'    (A young woman holds a glass of prosecco and is wearing a graduation gown. She is in her 20s and is smiling at the camera.)           1:09 Ex-American Idol contestant jailed for wife's murder. 00:01:09, play video Ex-American Idol contestant jailed for wife's murder    (Caleb Flynn has short grey hair. He is wearing a white T-shirt and orange prison overalls.)           0:51 'I found out I had cancer when son kicked my testicles' 00:00:51, play video 'I found out I had cancer when son kicked my testicles'    (Ben Lidgey in black sunglasses)           0:27 Why is it called 'El Niño'? 00:00:27, play video Why is it called 'El Niño'?    (Boats on water under an orange sky)           0:43 Staff find copy of Bayeux Tapestry in school attic. 00:00:43, play video Staff find copy of Bayeux Tapestry in school attic    (School teachers and students stand in a line holding out copy of Bayeux Tapestry)           1:30 Teenager shows BBC life inside Gaza displacement camp. 00:01:30, play video Teenager shows BBC life inside Gaza displacement camp    (Two young girls sat on a step. One (left) is dressed in all black, the other (right) is dressed in light brown.)               Top stories (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ckd6dqew1lq3t)     Live.    Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch about to deliver speech on final day of party's conference     4624 viewing 4.6k viewing             (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8kgezxn54qko) US death row inmate Christa Pike awake and speaking after failed execution, lawyers say     Published 3 hours ago            (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cq2e9kyzer2nt)     Live.    Israel marks three years since Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks     3194 viewing 3.2k viewing                 More to explore (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck1l3g8097rzo) What can I do to protect myself after 'Asos hacked' message?      (A laptop screen and mobile phone shows the website of online fashion retailer ASOS on August 12, 2021. ()         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c32l4nqx5wvko) 'That nagging feeling of dread': Is 'hang-xiety' a real thing?      (There are two girls in a dark bar smiling at the camera . On the left a blonde girl is wearing a strappy top and holding a drink. She leans into her friend on the left who is holding the camera to take a selfie of the two of them. The girl on the right has long brown hair and is wearing a black leather jacket.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxly57v78yv7o) Froyo's made a comeback. But at £12 a tub will it last?      (Three white tubs of frozen yoghurt, decorated with fruit and nuts, against a bright yellow background)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3vqxldglepo) The ‘biggest puzzle game ever’ is being released – its creator explains why it took 10 years      (The keyart from Order of the Sinking Star, showing a woman with dark hair standing and looking to the left, wearing a yellow crown and wearing grey and gold armour. Her purple cape flies out behind her showing four strands of the puzzles games in the game, in blue, pink, yellow and green, including a man standing in front of a mirror, a monster, and skipping stones.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck054zm1701qo) Many Nepalis swept away in the floods aren't officially dead, leaving families in limbo      (A man in a black puffer jacket, chequered shirt and hat stands outside in a street in front of buildings)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4g1v882250o) Winnie-the-Pooh books to fill phone box libraries      (Sally Phillips leans against a bright red K2 phone box which has been transformed into a mini library. She is holding a copy of Winnie-the-Pooh from Alan Alexander Milne while smiling. The phone box is stacked with an assortment of free books, organised across various shelves.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8vgxkpzyqqvo) Diary found in rubbish tip unlocks soldier's story      (Sepia-toned studio wedding portrait showing two adults standing side by side against a plain backdrop. One person wears a military uniform with medals and insignia, while the other wears a light-coloured wedding dress, veil and gloves, holding a bouquet of foliage. Both face the camera in a full-length formal pose.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxdd8035jzn3o) What is pneumonic plague and how does it spread?      (This colourised microscopic image shows Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague. The rod-shaped bacteria appear in pale green and cluster across the surface of red tissue cells. The image highlights how the microbes gather and multiply on host tissue, illustrating the infectious organism responsible for pneumonic and bubonic plague.)         (https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsletters/zgmn46f) US Politics Unspun: Cut through the noise with Anthony Zurcher's newsletter      (A cut of of Anthony Zurcher wearing a suit and tie in front of a red, black, grey and blue graphic background featuring the US Capitol Building)             Elsewhere on the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00304f5?at_mid=cDXPjHDyO7&at_campaign=Blue_Lights_S4_E1&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=p0f2cxpr&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Blue_Lights_S4_E1&at_bbc_team=BBC) The new series of the Bafta-winning police drama is here        (Blue Lights)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00334ft?at_mid=vGgYYoCvnd&at_campaign=The_Celebrity_Traitors_Uncloaked_S2_E2&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p0h0q056&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=The_Celebrity_Traitors_Uncloaked_S2_E2&at_bbc_team=BBC) Ed Gamble unpacks the latest nail-biting episode        (The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0031482?at_mid=d9CxyV5Rxt&at_campaign=Krapopolis&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=iplayer&at_brand=m0031480&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Krapopolis&at_bbc_team=BBC) Hysterical historical adult comedy starring Richard Ayoade and Matt Berry        (Krapopolis)        (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct9bch?at_mid=THfxwx86CF&at_campaign=Good_Bad_Billionaire_Gautam_Adani&at_medium=display_ad&at_campaign_type=owned&at_nation=NET&at_audience_id=SS&at_product=sounds&at_brand=p0g7xj36&at_ptr_name=bbc&at_ptr_type=media&at_format=image&at_objective=consumption&at_link_title=Good_Bad_Billionaire_Gautam_Adani&at_bbc_team=BBC) Gautam Adani: From opening his first port to owning 10 private jets        (Good Bad Billionaire: Gautam Adani)            Most read 1 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6je50ydld31o) Jaguar unveils new electric car after 'woke' ridicule       2 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8kgezxn54qko) US death row inmate Christa Pike awake and speaking after failed execution, lawyers say       3 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6jdv4vp3rl3o) Puffin island on cusp of closure as it runs out of water       4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c64g1p3ry51do) Man charged with GP's murder       5 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c32l4nqx5wvko) 'That nagging feeling of dread': Is 'hang-xiety' a real thing?       6 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm93z74e0n9zo) The Republican candidates walking a Trump tightrope       7 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmwyzyldv1yeo) 'Dad dragged me out of bed by my hair to work' - rural abuse victims want more support       8 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9e8ld3j6k53o) Military training sites to be investigated following rape and abuse claims at Army college       9 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxly57v78yv7o) Froyo's made a comeback. But at £12 a tub will it last?       10 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqze43ky1xgdo) Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint dies aged 102               BBC News Services  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628994)    On your mobile  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-50068132)    On smart speakers  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628323)    Get news alerts  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/20039682)    Contact BBC News     (https://www.bbc.com) Home  (https://www.bbc.com/news) News  (https://www.bbc.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.bbc.com/future/earth) Earth  (https://www.bbc.com/reel) Reel  (https://www.bbc.com/worklife) Worklife  (https://www.bbc.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.bbc.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.bbc.com/future) Future  (https://www.bbc.com/culture/music) Music  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m) TV  (https://www.bbc.com/weather) Weather  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds) Sounds   (https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms) Terms of Use  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc) About the BBC  (https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/privacy) Privacy Policy  (https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/cookies) Cookies  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility) Accessibility Help  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/guidance) Parental Guidance  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact) Contact the BBC  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers) Careers  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewsletter) BBC emails for you  (https://www.bbc.com/advertisingcontact/) Advertise with us    Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidance/links-and-feeds) Read about our approach to external linking.         ()