California: 21 children seized after a malicious surrogacy scheme is uncovered

Police have removed 21 children from the care of their legal parents following the discovery of an alleged surrogacy scheme.

A Los Angeles couple allegedly founded a company called Mark Surrogacy, and used it to trick women into carrying babies for them under the guise that they were “matched” with different “infertile” couples.

The women then discovered that they were all surrogates for the same couple, and had all been told the same story, with some of the babies now in foster care.

Silvia Zhang, 38, and Guojun Xuan, 65 are believed to be the legal parents of 21 such children between the ages of two months and 13 years old. Most of the children are between the ages of one and three.

KTLA5 reported that over the course of years, the couple had allegedly tricked women from all over the United States.

Police have learned that none of the surrogates knew that they were carrying the same couple’s embryos.

One of the surrogates, Kayla, was “matched” with the LA couple through Mark Surrogacy.

She is now attempting to raise money on a GoFundMe page to cover legal fees after she discovered that the baby she carried for the couple ended up in foster care.

Kayla described the ordeal as a “horrific situation”.

“This little one deserves stability, love, and a safe home. I am prepared and deeply committed to providing that for her, but the legal process to secure placement is complex and costly,” she wrote.

KTLA5 reportedly spoke to three other women, who said they were also surrogates for the same LA couple.

Both Ms Zhang and Mr Xuan have denied any wrongdoing, but all 21 of their legal children have been taken into protective custody.

The allegation came to light following an abuse allegation against the couple in May.

They were arrested after their two-month-old baby suffered a traumatic head injury, which police said was a result of a nanny violently shaking and hitting the baby.

The baby was only taken to hospital two days later.

Police said video footage also showed other nannies abusing the children.

Fifteen of the children were then removed from the couple’s home in Arcadia, and police then located the six remaining children, who were living in the homes of family and friends.

Ms Zhang and Mr Xuan were charged with felony child endangerment and neglect, but KTLA5 reported that they have been released since the initial arrest in May.

The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear if they will face more criminal charges related to operation of the surrogacy company.

Police say the nannies have not been located.