More than 20 surrogate children removed from £4,000,000 home after child abuse c
A couple who had 21 children via surrogacy have been accused of running a human trafficking ring.
Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, have been arrested for child endangerment after police found the children inside their £4 million California home.
They were first called to reports of a two-month-old baby suffering a traumatic head injury, but also found 15 children aged up to the age of 13-year-old.
Another six had been moved to other homes, with 17 of the 21 total children all aged under three.
The couple were thought to have employed a huge team of nannies and surrogates, because Silvia wanted a large family.
Nanny Chunmei Li, 56, was employed to help look after all the children, but was caught 'verbally and physically' abusing children, according to Arcadia Police.
Arcadia police Lt. Kollin Cieadlo said: 'The discipline, both verbally and physical, was severe to the point where it supported the beliefs that child abuse was occurring inside the home.'
Neighbours were completely unaware of the large amount of children inside the home.
Michael Bui, who also lives on Camino Real Avenue, said tearing up: 'It's a horrible thing, I can't believe it.
'I don't know what they did with the children. Did they send them to school? I don't know why no one found out about the people who carried the children . Twenty-one children! What do you want to do with all of those children?
'I pass by here mostly every day, but I never see people go in and out. No, I never heard (any kids crying).
'I feel horrible. But I say, 'What goes around comes around.' People who are evil … the evil will go after them.'
A mailman said there was a man sat at the front of the house behind a desk who appeared to be a receptionist.
Xuan and Zhang have since been released, as having dozens of children through surrogacy is not illegal.
But the situation 'smells of trafficking' according to Kallie Fell from the Center of Bioethics and Culture. More Trending
Kayla Elliot, one of the surrogate mums for the couple, said 'it's damaging emotionally' after finding out the child she carried was sent to live in the home.
She said the couple told her they had only one child, and she is now trying to get custody of her baby.
Kayla said: 'These agencies, we're supposed to trust them and follow their guidance and come to find out this whole thing was a scam, and the parents own the agency – that was not disclosed at all beforehand.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Tractor carrying animal waste runs through homes after drug driver runs red light
MORE: Dad of backpacker murdered in Australian outback feels 'no sadness' over killer's death
MORE: Three minutes cut from 'raw' prison footage of the night Epstein died
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
7 hours ago
- Metro
Man jailed after threatening to 'gang rape stewardess and set her alight'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A Virgin Atlantic passenger has been jailed after calling an air hostess a 'f***ing white Welsh c**t' and threatening to 'gang rape and set her alight'. Salman Iftikhar was on a flight from London Heathrow to Lahore when he unleashed a tirade of abuse at stewardess, Angie Walsh, and promised to blow up the Avari Lahore Hotel, where cabin crew were due to stay. Footage shows the 37-year-old repeatedly accusing the woman of being a racist and shouting,' You called me a p**i in front of everybody'. Another passenger, who filmed the shocking scenes, can be heard saying 'holy s**t' as the scene unfolded in first class. Iftikhar's wife and three children watched him chugg champagne, film the crew and eventually 'grabbing and squeezing' Ms Walsh's arm and telling her, 'You will be dead on the floor of your hotel'. Isleworth Crown Court heard that the incident on on February 7, 2023, was so bad that pilots even considered detouring the plane to Turkey. Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia detailed how the horror unfolded: 'During the first meal service, the defendant was seen helping himself to ice, leaning over the bar he was drinking at, and taking ice with his hands. 'When told to stop, the defendant became irate, and started to film cabin crew with his phone, telling them: 'Do not tell me what to do you bitch.' 'When asked by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then said: 'Don't tell me what to do you racist f***ing bitch. I know where you are from in Cardiff.'' The pilot was then contacted, and turned the seat belt lights on, but that only made the situation worse. Kapadia said: 'The defendant then shouted, and said: 'Look at this bitch having the seat belt sign on when there was no turbulence. What the f**k is this bitch doing?' 'Iftikhar returned to his seat and called crew member Angie Walsh a 'f**king bitch.'' Once the passenger was informed that the flight could be diverted due to his behaviour, his threats did not stop. Instead, he replied: 'I don't care. F**k it, go to Turkey. I have contacts.' The court was told how his three young children were crying and pleading for him to stop, but to no avail. Kapadia revealed how Iftikhar then threatened to blow up a floor of the hotel. He added: 'The defendant knew the specific hotel, but also the hotel room numbers, and threatened the cabin crew with this. 'He told Ms Walsh: 'You will be dead on the floor of your hotel'. 'Iftikhar shouted at Ms Walsh and said: 'The white sheep s**ging b***h will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up and it will disappear.' 'He told Ms Walsh: 'You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang raped and set on fire.'' When the plane landed in Pakistan, no action was taken against Iftikhar. He was eventually arrested – more than a year later – at his £900,000 home in Iver, Buckingamshire. Ms Walsh told the court how after 37 years of flying with Virgin Atlantic, she had to take 14 months off work after the threat of being gang-raped and She said: 'I can't quite believe that one passenger has had this much of an impact on my, my job, my career and my life. 'I am a strong brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well known within the company. 'I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I have even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me. 'But I don't feel strong enough anymore. I was abused for eight hours and 15 mins. It has broken me. It was a very personal attack. More Trending 'I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him. I felt exposed and vulnerable, especially as we were 39,000 feet in the air. There was nowhere for me to go. 'There was one moment where I felt I could not cope. I went into the cockpit and had a meltdown. I said to the captain I don't know what to do.' Ben Walker-Nolan, defending, told the court that his client was suffering from 'amnesia blood loss', which contributed to what happened. Iftikhar wept in the dock as he was sentences to 15 months behind bars. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man faces deportation after 'lighting cigarette' on eternal flame of Tomb of Unknown Soldier MORE: Soldier suspected of shooting five others at US military base MORE: Famous actress sexually assaulted by masseur in central London parlour
Metro
8 hours ago
- Metro
Man faces deportation after 'lighting cigarette' on Tomb of Unknown Soldier
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A Moroccan national who lit his cigarette with the flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be deported from Paris. Footage circulating on social media shows the 47-year-old climbing over the chain barrier beneath the Arc de Triomphe and lighting a smoke. The incident happened on Tuesday morning, sending shockwaves across France. Bruno Retailleau, France's interior minister, said on X: 'This unworthy and deplorable act undermines the memory of those who died for France.' Meanwhile, Patricia Miralles, the French minister for war veterans, said what happened is 'not a mere misstep, but a desecration'. She stressed: 'France will never tolerate the tarnishing of the memory of those who died for her. Never.' It was later revealed that the suspect – a homeless man from Morocco only identified as HamdiH. – will have his residence permit revoked, Le Figaro reported, citing a source close to the case. He initially denied responsibility, before later admitting that he is the man in the video. L'homme qui a profané la tombe du Soldat inconnu en allumant une cigarette avec la flamme du souvenir a été interpellé à Paris pour violation de sépulture, tombeau, urne ou monument édifié à la mémoire des morts. Il a été placé en garde à vue et a reconnu les faits. À la suite du… — Bruno Retailleau (@BrunoRetailleau) August 5, 2025 Police have accused him of 'violating a burial site, tomb, cinerary urn, or monument erected in memory of the dead,' an offense that theoretically carries a one-year prison sentence and a €15,000 fine. More Trending Local media reported that the man is well known to the police and has 21 records in the criminal record processing file (TAJ), including car theft, vandalism, violence and public insults on grounds of race. A woman, who claimed to be the author of the video, said the man did not 'appear drunk or under the influence of drugs.' She added: 'On the contrary, he was clearly aware of what he was doing, and proud of having done it.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Five soldiers shot at US Army base MORE: Famous actress sexually assaulted by masseur in central London parlour MORE: Man who murdered dog walker while he was on the run jailed for 25 years
Metro
17 hours ago
- Metro
Celebrity Traitors star reveals BBC series saved her from horrifying £8,000 thef
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A star appearing on the upcoming season of Celebrity Traitors has revealed how the show stopped her getting scammed. Earlier this year the line-up for the first celebrity version of BBC's hit game show was announced – with those taking part including Stephen Fry, Alan Carr, Paloma Faith, Charlotte Church and Jonathan Ross. A total of 19 presenters, actors, singers, comedians and sportsmen will be part of the series, due to air in autumn. They also include Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway – who is a 'huge fan' of the show. However, during a discussion about scams on Wednesday's episode of her BBC Breakfast programme, Kate revealed how being on Celebrity Traitors also ensured she didn't lose thousands when being targeted by a scam. Kate explained that how when she was on the way to film the series, she received an unsettling phone call. 'I was on the runway ready to fly to the castle and I got a phone call saying, 'Did you spend nearly £8,000 at Jacksonville voters at 2am this morning', and I said, 'Absolutely not!',' she said. Want to get all the latest news and predictions for the best and most dramatic show this new year? Join our The Traitors WhatsApp channel for live episode coverage, behind-the-scenes gossip and a place to recover from all the cliffhangers. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! The bank then told Kate they'd frozen her account as she'd been hacked and a victim of fraud. Understandably stressed about what she was being told, Kate then explained to the bank she was about to take off but was advised to immediately contact all her other accounts as they would be linked and accessible. Kate went on: 'I told them I was about to take off so I can't and then, when we landed, there was a producer there ready to take my phone off me as we weren't allowed phones or internet while filming. I told them I'd been a victim of fraud. 'I had pockets of cash as I was paying off debt at the time, but normally there would have been no money to take out of my account. 'I was really panicking, and I quickly texted someone at the bank saying what happened and asking them to check and they quickly texted back asking the name of the person who called.' However, after producers allowed Kate to keep her phone for a bit longer to sort the situation out, she made another call to the bank, who alerted her to the fact her accounts were safe and not to share any of her log-in details. 'If I'd given them details of my other bank accounts they would have emptied it all, and they had done so with the other account. 'So, I think I am the only person in the world to have been saved by Traitors!' Kate explained the initial call had sounded genuine and how they'd had 'the number, the name and the details of my account already'. 'They were saying, 'Do it now because otherwise this is going to happen to your other accounts'. Yeah so I genuinely felt the fear,' she added. While Kate managed to avoid losing her money, her GMB colleague wasn't so lucky. Before Kate shared her story, North American Correspondent Noel Phillips revealed he was scammed out of his entire life savings. Appearing on the show via video link from New York, Noel explained how scammers pretended to be from Chase Bank and told them his account had been compromised. Although he eventually realised it was a scam, it was too late and his savings totalling around $30,000 (£22,000) had been stolen. Holding back tears, he shared: 'I'm still in disbelief. I remember two weeks ago I was lying here in my kitchen on the floor numb and refusing to accept that I did something so stupid. More Trending 'I felt embarrassed, I felt ashamed, I felt worthless and on top of that the excruciating pain of all of this is the mental trauma. 'The fact that I for the last couple of days wake up in the middle of the night, pick up my phone and open my banking app in hopes that this was all a twisted reality. 'How could someone like me who reports stories like this fall victim? How could this happen to me?',' he recalled thinking. He then said that his bank had 'turned its back' on him and had refused to help him recoup the money. View More » Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV1. Celebrity Traitors airs on BBC later this year. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Gary Lineker 'signs on to new ITV show' following Match of the Day exit MORE: 'I bought a painting for £35 – it was the find of a lifetime worth £50,000' MORE: Strictly star investigated over drug use on show 'also suspected of drinking'
