Disturbing Surrogacy Case Leads to Child Rescue in California
Kayla Elliot first encountered a troubling sign when she received a Facebook message from a relatively unknown surrogacy agency in Southern California.
The Texas mother of four had been browsing surrogacy support groups, expressing her desire to carry a child for a couple facing infertility, as she finds joy in pregnancy. Although the outreach from Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC felt unusual, her lack of experience in this area led her to proceed.
Elliot found it particularly odd when the agency informed her they had already selected a couple from China to be the intended parents. “I lacked knowledge,” she later shared in a YouTube interview with the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, a California-based nonprofit focused on ethical issues related to biomedicine.
“I didn’t realize that as a surrogate, you have the right to choose the family,” she admitted.
Unknown to her, the couple for whom she was to bear a child already had a large family. A raid conducted by the FBI at their upscale Los Angeles residence resulted in the rescue of 21 children, many reportedly subjected to neglect and abuse.
Initial arrests were made in May for Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, following the hospitalization of a two-month-old infant in their care who suffered a traumatic brain injury. Medical staff quickly recognized that the injuries occurred shortly before the child was admitted, triggering a police investigation.
Authorities obtained a search warrant, leading to the collection of security footage that allegedly depicted a nanny, Chunmei Li, physically harming the children in that home, resulting in the infant’s loss of consciousness on May 5. Other children reportedly endured both emotional and physical abuse at the hands of six different nannies, as cited by law enforcement sources.
The rescue operation freed 15 children from the expansive 10,000-square-foot property in Arcadia, California, an affluent area often referred to as the ‘Chinese Beverly Hills’.
“We found numerous children aged from two months to 13 years,” stated Arcadia Police Lt. Kollin Cieadlo. “Many of these children were born via surrogacy, and the couple had taken legal guardianship of them.”
A neighbor remarked that the mansion had been designed like a hotel, featuring en-suite rooms and a front desk staffed by an attendant.
Six additional children belonging to the couple, previously removed from the mansion, were later located by authorities. Local reports indicate that Zhang provided proof of her legal motherhood as all their birth certificates listed her name.
“We suspect that only one or two of the children were born to her biologically. Some surrogates have come forward claiming they gave birth for this couple,” Cieadlo added.
Seventeen of the 21 children are under three years old and are now under the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services. The couple explained their desire to have numerous children stemmed from Xuan’s advancing age, yet reports from authorities point to severe disciplinary measures employed within their household.
Two companies associated with the property—Mark Surrogacy Investment and Future Spring Surrogacy—are no longer active according to California business records. Kallie Fell, the executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, cautioned that the situation indicates potential human trafficking.
“The unregulated nature of the fertility industry allows anyone to set up an agency. This issue certainly extends beyond just this isolated case,” she remarked.
In China, where surrogacy is banned and infertility rates are high, affluent couples frequently turn to the United States, offering up to $100,000 for surrogate services.
Authorities are still searching for the alleged abusive nanny, with an arrest warrant issued, while Xuan and Zhang have been released without charges so far. In a media statement attributed to Xuan, he asserted that any claims of wrongdoing are unfounded.
To date, six women have reported having babies for the couple, with one surrogate revealing she delivered for them last March, and another stating that she had provided surrogacy services in both 2022 and 2024.
One surrogate from Pennsylvania and another from Virginia, both opting to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, are currently pregnant with children for Xuan and Zhang, according to local station KTLA.
For Elliot, challenges emerged during her own surrogacy journey, particularly surrounding the birth of her baby girl in March. Upon her arrival for the embryo transfer in California, she was unexpectedly introduced to an elderly man identified as the father, but was told the mother was unavailable due to an illness.
A few days post-birth, a young Chinese woman arrived to claim the newborn, but Elliot found her demeanor troublingly unemotional, even lacking essential items like a car seat.
“It’s unusual not to see any excitement in meeting your child,” commented Fell, who noted that Elliot’s family helped transport the woman and baby to the airport.
Elliot mentioned that she was compensated at the lower end of typical surrogacy rates, which range from $20,000 to $100,000. Amid her distress, she initiated a GoFundMe campaign to secure custody of the baby girl, stating that the child deserves a stable and loving environment.
“Legal processes can be complex and costly,” she explained. The fundraising efforts have thus far garnered over $7,000.
According to Cieadlo, the investigation is expanding, with efforts to trace the origins of the children, contact their surrogates, and explore the situation at a national and possibly international level.
Passionate journalist and digital news editor with a keen eye for global affairs and emerging trends. As the founder and lead writer of RSS News US, he is dedicated to delivering accurate, insightful, and engaging content to readers seeking trustworthy news in a fast-paced world.
