California Authorities Take 21 Children Into Custody Amid Surrogacy Scheme Investigation

California authorities are investigating a imaginable surrogacy scam aft they rescued 21 children linked to a Los Angeles-area couple.

Fifteen children taken from nan couple's location — arsenic good arsenic an further six children discovered surviving elsewhere — are now nether nan attraction of a child-welfare agency. The children were betwixt nan ages of 2 months and 13 years old, The Associated Press reported.

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The children's ineligible parents are believed to beryllium 38-year-old Silvia Zhang and 65-year-old Guojun Xuan, according to AP.

The location of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan is seen connected Wednesday, July 16, 2025 successful Arcadia, California, wherever a number of children were removed from nan couple's location aft a kid maltreatment allegation successful May, according to Arcadia police. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

"We judge 1 aliases 2 were calved biologically to nan mother," Arcadia Police Lt. Kollin Cieadlo said. "There are immoderate surrogates who person travel guardant and said they were surrogates for nan children."

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Authorities were tipped disconnected aft nan mates was arrested earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile a infirmary reported that their babe had a traumatic caput injury. However, neglect charges were not formally pursued, according to Arcadia police.

An aerial position shows nan location of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan connected Wednesday, July 16, 2025 successful Arcadia, California, wherever a number of children were removed from nan couple's location aft a kid maltreatment allegation successful May, according to Arcadia police. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Cieadlo said Zhang had what appeared to beryllium morganatic commencement certificates for nan galore children which database her arsenic their mother, and nan duo had told constabulary that they "wanted a ample family," according to AP.

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"I'm not acquainted pinch really nan surrogacy laws work," Cieadlo said. "We request to do a overmuch deeper dive."

Law enforcement removed 15 children from nan couple's home. (iStock)

Los Angeles TV stations quoted respective women who claimed to beryllium surrogate mothers for Zhang and Xuan, according to AP.

A institution was antecedently registered astatine nan couple's reside called Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC. The business licence was terminated past month, AP reported, citing business records pinch nan California Secretary of State.

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Arcadia Police and nan Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.