Latest news with #Esperanza
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Why is it so hot? If you live in a city, the answer might surprise you.
PHILADELPHIA ‒ It was another brutally hot day in a summer that has seen more than its share of them. Temperatures were in the high 80s, but with the oppressive humidity, heat indices reached into the low 100-degree range. And in Hunting Park, a working-class neighborhood in North Philadelphia, it felt even hotter. Heat radiated in waves off concrete sidewalks and asphalt streets. Garage owners left their bay doors open and residents sat on the front stoops and porches of their row houses, hoping to get a little relief from even more sweltering temperatures inside. "There's a lot of asphalt and cement," said Jemile Tellez Lieberman, who works in research, health equity and community engagement for Esperanza, a neighborhood nonprofit. All that pavement, along with a constant flow of cars, densely packed housing, and a lack of greenery, means Hunting Park is warmer than leafier pockets of the city ‒ an urban heat island where temperatures can be as much as 7 degrees higher than the rest of the city during the day. There are pockets like this all over Philadelphia, and in cities all over the country. One solution, say a growing number of researchers and urban advocates, is trees. "If you plant a tree, this will benefit your neighborhood in 5, 10, 50 years," said Lauren Marshall, director of landscape restoration for the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to planting trees. Dangerous heat, disproportionate impact Adding trees doesn't just make a neighborhood look better. It makes it healthier, too, Marshall said. "Heat kills more people than any other natural phenomenon in the United States," she said. "So trees will be more important than ever, especially in urban areas." Visualizing the issue: Yes, it's hotter in the city. See how the urban heat island effect works. In 2023, more Americans died from heat-related causes than in any year since 1999, when tracking began. More than 2,300 people died from heat that year, the study, from the American Medical Association study found. But those researchers believe that was likely an undercount. Children, the elderly and people with preexisting health conditions are the most vulnerable to high temperatures. And low-income communities are more likely to swelter in heat islands, research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others has shown. A study by Climate Central found that 41 million Americans live in census tracts across 44 cities with an urban heat island index of 8 degrees or higher. New York (9.5 degrees), San Francisco (8.8), Chicago and Miami (8.3) and Seattle (8.2) are among the U.S. cities with the highest urban heat island indices. The effect can differ among cities. Some, including Albuquerque, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Antonio and Tulsa, have higher temperatures concentrated within an urban core. Other cities including Atlanta, Denver, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and Milwaukee, have more diffused areas of heat intensity, with smaller differences in temperature between their urban core and their outlying areas. How trees can help people, and how people can help trees Like a lot of urban neighborhoods across the United States, Hunting Park faces a wide range of challenges, from poverty to underfunded schools. So prioritizing tree-planting can be a tough sell, Esperanza's Tellez Lieberman said. Esperanza, which supports the Latino community in Hunting Park, has found that engagement is key, she said. "We let (residents and business owners) take the lead in discussions about what trees they want and where to plant them." It also takes a lot of trees to make a difference. A 2019 study found that a neighborhood has to be at least 40% covered by trees ‒ counting pavement and buildings ‒ to substantially limit heat. That amount of tree coverage can reduce temperatures by seven to nine degrees, according to the University of Wisconsin researchers. Esperanza works with the Arbor Day Foundation, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Tree Philly and the city's Department of Parks and Recreation to plant trees every the spring and fall. The trees are provided at no cost to residents, and they are planted in places where they can grow and flourish. "Trees need maintenance," Tellez Lieberman noted. "They can tangle with wires or their roots can upend pipes, and it can be cost-prohibitive to get one removed, so we work with people to pair the right tree with the right person for support and maintenance." The Arbor Day Foundation uses data, including GIS (geographic information systems) mapping, its GIS director Derrick Frese explained, to help determine which areas should be prioritized because they have too little greenery, denser populations and higher temperatures. They're beginning to examine the benefits of trees in a more data-focused way as well, Frese said. "Now we can capture a ton of information, like how much water runoff is captured, how many trees are planted, how many people are impacted." But the benefits can go beyond a bit of shade and a little green in a gray cityscape, said Marshall of the Arbor Day Foundation. "What I love about trees is that they are part of the solution to so many problems," she said. "Improving air quality, mitigating water runoff. They can even bring in some food, like fruit, draw in more wildlife, and we've even heard it brings more people to walk around." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is it so hot? Cities swelter when trees disappear. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
6 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Cities are hot in summer. Planting trees can help, but they take time and commitment.
It's been a brutally hot summer throughout the U.S., and it's even worse in many urban pockets. Trees can help. PHILADELPHIA ‒ It was another brutally hot day in a summer that has seen more than its share of them. Temperatures were in the high 80s, but with the oppressive humidity, heat indices reached into the low 100-degree range. And in Hunting Park, a working-class neighborhood in North Philadelphia, it felt even hotter. Heat radiated in waves off concrete sidewalks and asphalt streets. Garage owners left their bay doors open and residents sat on the front stoops and porches of their row houses, hoping to get a little relief from even more sweltering temperatures inside. "There's a lot of asphalt and cement," said Jemile Tellez Lieberman, who works in research, health equity and community engagement for Esperanza, a neighborhood nonprofit. All that pavement, along with a constant flow of cars, densely packed housing, and a lack of greenery, means Hunting Park is warmer than leafier pockets of the city ‒ an urban heat island where temperatures can be as much as 7 degrees higher than the rest of the city during the day. There are pockets like this all over Philadelphia, and in cities all over the country. One solution, say a growing number of researchers and urban advocates, is trees. "If you plant a tree, this will benefit your neighborhood in 5, 10, 50 years," said Lauren Marshall, director of landscape restoration for the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to planting trees. Dangerous heat, disproportionate impact Adding trees doesn't just make a neighborhood look better. It makes it healthier, too, Marshall said. "Heat kills more people than any other natural phenomenon in the United States," she said. "So trees will be more important than ever, especially in urban areas." Visualizing the issue: Yes, it's hotter in the city. See how the urban heat island effect works. In 2023, more Americans died from heat-related causes than in any year since 1999, when tracking began. More than 2,300 people died from heat that year, the study, from the American Medical Association study found. But those researchers believe that was likely an undercount. Children, the elderly and people with preexisting health conditions are the most vulnerable to high temperatures. And low-income communities are more likely to swelter in heat islands, research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others has shown. A study by Climate Central found that 41 million Americans live in census tracts across 44 cities with an urban heat island index of 8 degrees or higher. New York (9.5 degrees), San Francisco (8.8), Chicago and Miami (8.3) and Seattle (8.2) are among the U.S. cities with the highest urban heat island indices. The effect can differ among cities. Some, including Albuquerque, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Antonio and Tulsa, have higher temperatures concentrated within an urban core. Other cities including Atlanta, Denver, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and Milwaukee, have more diffused areas of heat intensity, with smaller differences in temperature between their urban core and their outlying areas. How trees can help people, and how people can help trees Like a lot of urban neighborhoods across the United States, Hunting Park faces a wide range of challenges, from poverty to underfunded schools. So prioritizing tree-planting can be a tough sell, Esperanza's Tellez Lieberman said. Esperanza, which supports the Latino community in Hunting Park, has found that engagement is key, she said. "We let (residents and business owners) take the lead in discussions about what trees they want and where to plant them." It also takes a lot of trees to make a difference. A 2019 study found that a neighborhood has to be at least 40% covered by trees ‒ counting pavement and buildings ‒ to substantially limit heat. That amount of tree coverage can reduce temperatures by seven to nine degrees, according to the University of Wisconsin researchers. Esperanza works with the Arbor Day Foundation, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Tree Philly and the city's Department of Parks and Recreation to plant trees every the spring and fall. The trees are provided at no cost to residents, and they are planted in places where they can grow and flourish. "Trees need maintenance," Tellez Lieberman noted. "They can tangle with wires or their roots can upend pipes, and it can be cost-prohibitive to get one removed, so we work with people to pair the right tree with the right person for support and maintenance." The Arbor Day Foundation uses data, including GIS (geographic information systems) mapping, its GIS director Derrick Frese explained, to help determine which areas should be prioritized because they have too little greenery, denser populations and higher temperatures. They're beginning to examine the benefits of trees in a more data-focused way as well, Frese said. "Now we can capture a ton of information, like how much water runoff is captured, how many trees are planted, how many people are impacted." But the benefits can go beyond a bit of shade and a little green in a gray cityscape, said Marshall of the Arbor Day Foundation. "What I love about trees is that they are part of the solution to so many problems," she said. "Improving air quality, mitigating water runoff. They can even bring in some food, like fruit, draw in more wildlife, and we've even heard it brings more people to walk around."
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Two surrogates speak out about California couple under investigation
California Couple Surrogacy LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who almost served as a surrogate for a Southern California couple now under investigation by authorities said she backed out after the couple asked her if any of her friends would like to carry a child for them too. The request as well as conflicting information she was getting left the woman, Esperanza, unnerved and she decided not to sign a surrogacy contract with Silvia Zhang, who offered her $60,000. Esperanza spoke to The Associated Press on the condition that her last name not be used because she has not shared her surrogacy experience publicly. Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, are now the target of an investigation by local and federal authorities after their infant child was taken to the hospital with a traumatic head injury in May. Authorities have since taken 21 children from the couple's custody, many of whom were born by surrogate, said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department, near Los Angeles. Surrogacy is an agreement between parties for a woman to become pregnant, typically through an embryo transfer, and deliver a baby for the intended person or couple to raise. The children range in age from 2 months to 13 years, with most between 1 and 3. Federal authorities' role in investigation Esperanza is one of at least eight women who say they were aggressively pursued by the couple to serve as surrogates. The women, many of whom were first-time surrogates, say they were given misleading or incomplete information about the couple's family situation and intentions. Some, like Esperanza, did not move forward with carrying a child for the couple. Another who did, Kayla Elliott, is now trying to get custody of a baby she birthed in March for the couple. Arcadia police say the FBI is involved in the investigation over whether the couple misled surrogates around the country. The FBI has not confirmed its investigation. Elliott said she was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May. Elliott worked through a business called Mark Surrogacy, according to the contract she signed and shared with the AP. California state records show a company called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC registered at the company's Arcadia home until this June. Elliot's contract listed an El Monte address for the company. An AP reporter visited that location Thursday and did not find anyone who recognized the names of the couple or Mark Surrogacy. Zhang did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for Mark Surrogacy did not respond to emails seeking comment, nor did a fertility clinic involved in the embryo transfer. In social media posts, other women who say they served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan outlined suspicious actions including the couple not fulfilling payment obligations and weren't present for the children's births. Many women contacted by the AP did not respond or said they would only speak after securing an attorney. Injured infant draws concern Zhang and Xuan were arrested in May after a hospital reported that their 2-month-old infant had a traumatic head injury, the result of a nanny at the home violently shaking the baby, according to Arcadia police. Arcadia police did not file charges at the time, in order to finish a full investigation, Cieadlo said, and detectives were looking into possible child abuse charges and anticipated presenting a case in a few weeks. The couple told police that they 'wanted a large family" and produced what appeared to be legitimate birth certificates, including some from outside California, that list Zhang as the mother of the children, Cieadlo said. Xuan was listed as the father on at least some of the birth certificates, Cieadlo said. Potential surrogate backs out Esperanza's dealings with Zhang began in 2023. She had posted in a Facebook group for people interested in surrogacy and received a message from Zhang. Zhang said she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China but were having fertility issues. Zhang said she was working with a surrogate who was already pregnant but that she wanted 'twins," so she was pursuing a second surrogate. But Esperanza said things started to feel amiss after Zhang asked if she had any friends who also wanted to be surrogates. 'She said that she's a realtor in Arcadia and that's how she has a lot of money and was able to afford a lot of surrogates at the time,' Esperanza said. Esperanza backed out of the surrogacy after the lawyer for the couple abruptly hung up on her while discussing the contract. She said the document said the couple would implant two embryos instead of one and the section requiring background information on the couple was cut out. The couple became angry when she decided not to move forward. Esperanza showed text messages to the AP that showed Zhang offering $3,000 more if she agreed to keep going, and another $2,000 bonus after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Surrogate who wants custody of child Elliott gave birth to a baby girl in March. She chose to be a surrogate because she 'really wanted to give somebody a family.' The Texas woman began the process when Mark Surrogacy reached out to her directly on Facebook. She signed a contract listing Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract said Elliott would receive $65,000 in a series of payments by the end of her 16th gestational week. Elliott became wary when early in the pregnancy she flew to California to meet the couple and only Xuan showed up. As the process went on, Elliott had almost no direct contact with the Xuan and Zhang, which is uncommon in surrogacy. Most of the messaging was through texts and emails with representatives from the agency, who discouraged her from reaching out to Zhang. 'The agency was always like, 'Oh, they're very busy people,'' she said. When she learned that the couple had at least two other surrogates having babies for them, she was told by the agency 'they just want a big family." Elliott flew to California for the embryo transfer, which was done at Western Fertility Institute in Los Angeles. The clinic declined to comment on the investigation. Neither parent were there for Elliott's labor or delivery, and only Zhang showed up a few hours after the baby was born. The woman 'didn't seem very connected with the child ... she kind of barely looked at her," Elliott said. After handing Elliott $2,000 in cash and giving three of her family members in the room $200 each, the woman left with the baby girl. Now, Elliott wants custody of the girl and says she just hopes all the babies are safe. When the news first broke about the couple, she confronted Zhang on the phone and over text. In text messages Elliott showed to the AP, Zhang wrote: 'All the babies really important in our life.' __ Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalist Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
19-07-2025
- The Independent
Two surrogates speak out about California couple under investigation
A woman who almost served as a surrogate for a Southern California couple now under investigation by authorities said she backed out after the couple asked her if any of her friends would like to carry a child for them too. The request as well as conflicting information she was getting left the woman, Esperanza, unnerved and she decided not to sign a surrogacy contract with Silvia Zhang, who offered her $60,000. Esperanza spoke to The Associated Press on the condition that her last name not be used because she has not shared her surrogacy experience publicly. Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, are now the target of an investigation by local and federal authorities after their infant child was taken to the hospital with a traumatic head injury in May. Authorities have since taken 21 children from the couple's custody, many of whom were born by surrogate, said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department, near Los Angeles. Surrogacy is an agreement between parties for a woman to become pregnant, typically through an embryo transfer, and deliver a baby for the intended person or couple to raise. The children range in age from 2 months to 13 years, with most between 1 and 3. Federal authorities' role in investigation Esperanza is one of at least eight women who say they were aggressively pursued by the couple to serve as surrogates. The women, many of whom were first-time surrogates, say they were given misleading or incomplete information about the couple's family situation and intentions. Some, like Esperanza, did not move forward with carrying a child for the couple. Another who did, Kayla Elliott, is now trying to get custody of a baby she birthed in March for the couple. Arcadia police say the FBI is involved in the investigation over whether the couple misled surrogates around the country. The FBI has not confirmed its investigation. Elliott said she was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May. Elliott worked through a business called Mark Surrogacy, according to the contract she signed and shared with the AP. California state records show a company called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC registered at the company's Arcadia home until this June. Elliot's contract listed an El Monte address for the company. An AP reporter visited that location Thursday and did not find anyone who recognized the names of the couple or Mark Surrogacy. Zhang did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for Mark Surrogacy did not respond to emails seeking comment, nor did a fertility clinic involved in the embryo transfer. In social media posts, other women who say they served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan outlined suspicious actions including the couple not fulfilling payment obligations and weren't present for the children's births. Many women contacted by the AP did not respond or said they would only speak after securing an attorney. Injured infant draws concern Zhang and Xuan were arrested in May after a hospital reported that their 2-month-old infant had a traumatic head injury, the result of a nanny at the home violently shaking the baby, according to Arcadia police. Arcadia police did not file charges at the time, in order to finish a full investigation, Cieadlo said, and detectives were looking into possible child abuse charges and anticipated presenting a case in a few weeks. The couple told police that they 'wanted a large family" and produced what appeared to be legitimate birth certificates, including some from outside California, that list Zhang as the mother of the children, Cieadlo said. Xuan was listed as the father on at least some of the birth certificates, Cieadlo said. Potential surrogate backs out Esperanza's dealings with Zhang began in 2023. She had posted in a Facebook group for people interested in surrogacy and received a message from Zhang. Zhang said she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China but were having fertility issues. Zhang said she was working with a surrogate who was already pregnant but that she wanted 'twins," so she was pursuing a second surrogate. But Esperanza said things started to feel amiss after Zhang asked if she had any friends who also wanted to be surrogates. 'She said that she's a realtor in Arcadia and that's how she has a lot of money and was able to afford a lot of surrogates at the time,' Esperanza said. Esperanza backed out of the surrogacy after the lawyer for the couple abruptly hung up on her while discussing the contract. She said the document said the couple would implant two embryos instead of one and the section requiring background information on the couple was cut out. The couple became angry when she decided not to move forward. Esperanza showed text messages to the AP that showed Zhang offering $3,000 more if she agreed to keep going, and another $2,000 bonus after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Surrogate who wants custody of child Elliott gave birth to a baby girl in March. She chose to be a surrogate because she 'really wanted to give somebody a family.' The Texas woman began the process when Mark Surrogacy reached out to her directly on Facebook. She signed a contract listing Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract said Elliott would receive $65,000 in a series of payments by the end of her 16th gestational week. Elliott became wary when early in the pregnancy she flew to California to meet the couple and only Xuan showed up. As the process went on, Elliott had almost no direct contact with the Xuan and Zhang, which is uncommon in surrogacy. Most of the messaging was through texts and emails with representatives from the agency, who discouraged her from reaching out to Zhang. 'The agency was always like, 'Oh, they're very busy people,'' she said. When she learned that the couple had at least two other surrogates having babies for them, she was told by the agency 'they just want a big family." Elliott flew to California for the embryo transfer, which was done at Western Fertility Institute in Los Angeles. The clinic declined to comment on the investigation. Neither parent were there for Elliott's labor or delivery, and only Zhang showed up a few hours after the baby was born. The woman 'didn't seem very connected with the child ... she kind of barely looked at her," Elliott said. After handing Elliott $2,000 in cash and giving three of her family members in the room $200 each, the woman left with the baby girl. Now, Elliott wants custody of the girl and says she just hopes all the babies are safe. When the news first broke about the couple, she confronted Zhang on the phone and over text. In text messages Elliott showed to the AP, Zhang wrote: 'All the babies really important in our life.' __ Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalist Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.
Washington Post
19-07-2025
- Washington Post
Two surrogates speak out about California couple under investigation
LOS ANGELES — A woman who almost served as a surrogate for a Southern California couple now under investigation by authorities said she backed out after the couple asked her if any of her friends would like to carry a child for them too. The request as well as conflicting information she was getting left the woman, Esperanza, unnerved and she decided not to sign a surrogacy contract with Silvia Zhang, who offered her $60,000. Esperanza spoke to The Associated Press on the condition that her last name not be used because she has not shared her surrogacy experience publicly. Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, are now the target of an investigation by local and federal authorities after their infant child was taken to the hospital with a traumatic head injury in May. Authorities have since taken 21 children from the couple's custody, many of whom were born by surrogate , said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department, near Los Angeles. Surrogacy is an agreement between parties for a woman to become pregnant, typically through an embryo transfer, and deliver a baby for the intended person or couple to raise. The children range in age from 2 months to 13 years, with most between 1 and 3. Esperanza is one of at least eight women who say they were aggressively pursued by the couple to serve as surrogates. The women, many of whom were first-time surrogates, say they were given misleading or incomplete information about the couple's family situation and intentions. Some, like Esperanza, did not move forward with carrying a child for the couple. Another who did, Kayla Elliott, is now trying to get custody of a baby she birthed in March for the couple. Arcadia police say the FBI is involved in the investigation over whether the couple misled surrogates around the country. The FBI has not confirmed its investigation. Elliott said she was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May. Elliott worked through a business called Mark Surrogacy, according to the contract she signed and shared with the AP. California state records show a company called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC registered at the company's Arcadia home until this June. Elliot's contract listed an El Monte address for the company. An AP reporter visited that location Thursday and did not find anyone who recognized the names of the couple or Mark Surrogacy. Zhang did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for Mark Surrogacy did not respond to emails seeking comment, nor did a fertility clinic involved in the embryo transfer. In social media posts, other women who say they served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan outlined suspicious actions including the couple not fulfilling payment obligations and weren't present for the children's births. Many women contacted by the AP did not respond or said they would only speak after securing an attorney. Zhang and Xuan were arrested in May after a hospital reported that their 2-month-old infant had a traumatic head injury, the result of a nanny at the home violently shaking the baby, according to Arcadia police. Arcadia police did not file charges at the time, in order to finish a full investigation, Cieadlo said, and detectives were looking into possible child abuse charges and anticipated presenting a case in a few weeks. The couple told police that they 'wanted a large family' and produced what appeared to be legitimate birth certificates, including some from outside California, that list Zhang as the mother of the children, Cieadlo said. Xuan was listed as the father on at least some of the birth certificates, Cieadlo said. Esperanza's dealings with Zhang began in 2023. She had posted in a Facebook group for people interested in surrogacy and received a message from Zhang. Zhang said she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China but were having fertility issues. Zhang said she was working with a surrogate who was already pregnant but that she wanted 'twins,' so she was pursuing a second surrogate. But Esperanza said things started to feel amiss after Zhang asked if she had any friends who also wanted to be surrogates. 'She said that she's a realtor in Arcadia and that's how she has a lot of money and was able to afford a lot of surrogates at the time,' Esperanza said. Esperanza backed out of the surrogacy after the lawyer for the couple abruptly hung up on her while discussing the contract. She said the document said the couple would implant two embryos instead of one and the section requiring background information on the couple was cut out. The couple became angry when she decided not to move forward. Esperanza showed text messages to the AP that showed Zhang offering $3,000 more if she agreed to keep going, and another $2,000 bonus after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Elliott gave birth to a baby girl in March. She chose to be a surrogate because she 'really wanted to give somebody a family.' The Texas woman began the process when Mark Surrogacy reached out to her directly on Facebook. She signed a contract listing Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract said Elliott would receive $65,000 in a series of payments by the end of her 16th gestational week. Elliott became wary when early in the pregnancy she flew to California to meet the couple and only Xuan showed up. As the process went on, Elliott had almost no direct contact with the Xuan and Zhang, which is uncommon in surrogacy. Most of the messaging was through texts and emails with representatives from the agency, who discouraged her from reaching out to Zhang. 'The agency was always like, 'Oh, they're very busy people,'' she said. When she learned that the couple had at least two other surrogates having babies for them, she was told by the agency 'they just want a big family.' Elliott flew to California for the embryo transfer, which was done at Western Fertility Institute in Los Angeles. The clinic declined to comment on the investigation. Neither parent were there for Elliott's labor or delivery, and only Zhang showed up a few hours after the baby was born. The woman 'didn't seem very connected with the child ... she kind of barely looked at her,' Elliott said. After handing Elliott $2,000 in cash and giving three of her family members in the room $200 each, the woman left with the baby girl. Now, Elliott wants custody of the girl and says she just hopes all the babies are safe. When the news first broke about the couple, she confronted Zhang on the phone and over text. In text messages Elliott showed to the AP, Zhang wrote: 'All the babies really important in our life.' __ Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalist Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.
