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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
A pregnant surrogate for a defunct California company doesn't know what will happen to the baby she's carrying
Alexa Fasold thought she was a surrogate for a couple having fertility issues and was all set to give birth to a baby boy this fall, after carrying a transferred embryo since January. Then she learned that the agency she was working with was under investigation. A couple behind the Arcadia, California, agency has been accused by surrogates of running a potential scam in which multiple women across the country were unknowingly carrying embryos for the same couple at the same time. Fasold first realized that something was amiss when the agency, Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC, suddenly stopped responding to legal questions in May. The couple, Silvia Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, residents of the Arcadia home and owners of Mark Surrogacy, were arrested that month on suspicion of felony child endangerment and neglect, police said. They have not been charged and were released on bond pending the investigation, police said. According to police, they discovered 21 children, mostly born to surrogates, connected to the couple. Fifteen of those children, whose ages ranged from 2 months to 13 years, were found in the Arcadia home. The agency, which dissolved in June according to public records, was registered to that same address. An additional six children tied to the couple were found in the care of family and friends. All the children were retrieved by authorities following a local hospital call to police to report that a 2-month-old baby had arrived with head injuries. The children are now in protective custody. Fasold, 26, said she's devastated and unsure of what will happen to the baby she's carrying. She might try to foster for a period, she said, and has been working with a lawyer she retained in the early stages of the surrogacy process. 'We're heartbroken for the baby and his future,' said Fasold, a motor coach bus driver based in Pennsylvania. 'We were supposed to be completing a family or helping a family start. And it turned into this horror movie.' Fasold, who is married with children, is one of several surrogates who have recently come forward to say they also have worked with the agency. Fasold said she can't share the identity of the parents of the child she is carrying because her contract with Mark Surrogacy lists a confidentiality clause. Kayla Elliot, a 27-year-old surrogate for Zhang and Xuan who delivered a baby in March, told NBC News that Mark Surrogacy told her that the couple had one teenage child and had given up on attempting to have a second after 10 rounds of failed fertility treatments. Elliot said she learned that the baby she birthed was among those who are currently in foster care. Even as details of the agency have surfaced, Fasold said she received an email from them as recently as over a week ago. The email, seen by NBC News, asked her for details about the hospital where she plans on delivering the baby. Fasold hasn't responded to the email. 'I understand there's an investigation but our main focus now is who's going to take the baby? Where is the baby going to be?' Fasold said. 'We're still honestly not sure of where, but it's a race against time to figure out what that might look like.' Attempts to reach Zhang and Xuan were unsuccessful. It wasn't immediately clear whether Zhang and Xuan had retained a lawyer who could speak on their behalf. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office also did not immediately respond. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services said in a statement that it cannot share details about the 'lives of children and families who come to our attention.' Video evidence recovered from the Arcadia home shows that some of the younger children were 'subjected to physical and emotional abuse,' a spokesperson for the Arcadia Police Department told NBC News last week. Authorities say that they believe that Zhang and Xuan were aware of the abuse and 'let it happen.' Police are expected to resubmit the case after a review of evidence to the district attorney in the next two to three weeks, Lt. Kollin Cieadlo told NBC News. An arrest warrant has been issued in connection with the case for a 56-year-old nanny, who authorities say was seen on camera violently shaking and striking a 2-month-old baby. The baby lost consciousness and was hospitalized, police said, and was the subject of the call that triggered the investigation back in May. Fasold said that for the last few weeks, she's been in contact with the FBI and Child Protective Services. Her contract with Mark Surrogacy states that she wouldn't fight for parental rights. But Fasold said the new circumstances mean there's a likelihood that the baby will go into foster care, and she's looking into the requirements to become a foster parent. Fasold's surrogacy process began over a year ago, when she was looking to help some acquaintances with their fertility journey, she said. Things ultimately did not work out with the acquaintances' surrogacy agency, which told her she was medically disqualified from carrying, she said. Fasold suspects that her pregnancy with her youngest child, which involved a gallbladder surgery, ultimately ruled her out as a surrogate with that particular agency, but she still hoped to find another way to participate in the process, she said. That's when Fasold began seeking advice on Facebook and posting in surrogacy groups, she said. Fasold and her husband initially had their hearts set on another agency, but Mark Surrogacy found them through their social media posts and reached out, she said. 'They asked us what it was we were looking for, if we would be up to allowing them to compete with the agency that we found, if they could compete with compensation, or if there's anything more that we would ask for in a company,' Fasold recalled. Fasold said that, in retrospect, it was suspicious that the company agreed to all of the conditions she and her husband wanted. Among other things, they required to stay anonymous in the process, with limited contact with the baby's intended parents and no direct line of communication with them, she said. They also didn't want the parents to have complete control over the pregnancy. 'Everything that we were looking for in a parent is basically what we got, anything that we said kind of went,' Fasold said. 'Looking back now, that should have been a red flag, because that very, very rarely happens. There is usually compromise.' After months of discussions, Fasold and her husband signed a contract with Mark Surrogacy in May 2024. The surrogacy process generally costs couples between $125,000 to $175,000, Stephanie Levich, founder and president of Family Match Consulting told TODAY. Surrogate fees, including medical testing and carrying and delivering the baby run between $30,000 and $60,000. Fasold did not disclose her compensation. 'We did jump the gun a little bit,' she said. 'We just kind of chose them because of the flexibility, the communication being pretty on point and that they never left a question unanswered for us.' Fasold said that most of her communication with the company was done between Facebook Messenger and email, with weekly check-ins before the first embryo transfer. The only face-to-face interaction she had with the company was after the embryo transfer in September 2024, she said. While she had expected the intended parents to show up to the procedure, Fasold said she was told the couple was dealing with health issues that kept them from attending. But two representatives from Mark Surrogacy greeted them instead, she said. 'They brought us a gift basket at our first transfer,' Fasold said. 'They were excited. They were happy.' That first embryo transfer didn't pan out, Fasold said, and she suffered a miscarriage. But the second transfer, which occurred in January, was successful. Red flags began to crop up around mid-May, when Fasold said her attorney attempted to contact the company. Though they had generally been quite responsive over email, they weren't responding to the attorney's communications, Fasold said. 'When she tried calling the agency directly, it was actually bringing her up to 'Future Spring Surrogacy,'' Fasold said. It was around that time, Fasold said, that the attorney found out about the investigation related to Mark Surrogacy. And a few weeks later, the agency's business license was terminated. The news has been a lot to take in, Fasold said. But she added that despite all that's transpired she still believes that surrogacy is a 'beautiful thing' and that her experience is not representative of the norm. 'There are good agencies, and there are good people out there,' Fasold said. 'Once this baby's born, and after a time of healing … My husband and I plan on going through another surrogacy journey again.' This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Huge fortress home where couple harbored 21 children was set up like a hotel
From the outside, the imposing castle-like design and gated exterior made the $4.1 million mansion appear like a fortress. Residents admired it as they walked their dogs through the high-end California neighborhood of Arcadia - and assumed the family inside just enjoyed their privacy. That's until they noticed heavily-pregnant women walking around the grounds. For behind the walls lurked a dark secret, with mothers claiming the couple who lived there were running a chilling surrogacy scheme. The owners, couple Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, made headlines after they were found to have harbored a staggering 21 surrogate babies in the house - 17 of which were under the age of three. A neighbor, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Mail he suspected the couple were operating some sort of 'maternity house' for years - and would see cars driving in and out at all times of night. He recalled: 'Some of them [the pregnant women] were Caucasian. They were exercising and walking around because maybe their backs hurt, or they want to go into labor. 'I heard rumors that this was set up like a hotel. There are nine bedrooms. The talk around the neighborhood is they even had a front desk manager, and it was like coming to a birthing hospital.' Michael Bui, another neighbor, told Daily Mail, he would never see people go in and out and never heard crying. Women who handed over babies to the couple said they believed they were helping to build a loving family and were oblivious to other surrogates recruited across the country, from Pennsylvania to Texas. The alleged ruse continued for years - for reasons that California detectives and the FBI are yet to fully uncover - until the couple brought a two-month-old to the hospital with a traumatic head injury in May. The hospital visit led to a search warrant on the lavish mansion, which turned up the horror discovery of not only the massive brood, but also indoor surveillance cameras depicting nannies 'physically and verbally' abusing the children, Arcadia Police said. When Daily Mail visited the towering property this week, there was no sign of Xuan, Zhang, or anything showing dozens of children spent their childhoods there besides a dilapidated trampoline. Xuan and Zhang were arrested after their May hospital visit and charged with child endangerment, while the Arcadia Police Department also issued an arrest warrant for one of the nannies, named as Chunmei Li, 56. Neighbors told Daily Mail this week that residents on their Arcadia street keep to themselves, enjoying the sunny California weather in the peace of their mansions. They said they were shocked to hear dozens of children lived in the home for years, as they had never seen any toys or strollers outside nor any children playing in the street. Mark Tabal, who lives about a block and a half from the home, said he passes by the castle house several times a day to walk his dog, but had not met the couple. He said: 'I've never seen any of the kids out here. It's a fairly quiet house and I've never seen the owners. Every once in a while, I see a gardener watering the bushes outside. 'It's pretty suspicious to hear the news and knowing this is the house but not hearing anything.' Neighbor Art Romero told CBS News that the huge nine-bedroom, 11-bath home was set up like a hotel, with a large lobby and a desk at the front appearing like a hotel clerk. It is unclear what the couple do for work or how they acquired their considerable wealth, with public records showing they are connected to a number of investment firms. Surrogate mothers who gave their children to the couple have expressed horror at the allegations, saying they believed Zhang and Xuan were clients of a surrogacy company. The FBI is now investigating whether they misled mothers across the country. After the shock allegations made headlines this week, an image emerged showing Zhang smiling at the birth of one of the children, hugging surrogate mother Kayla Elliot, 27, from Texas. In an interview with Center for Bio Ethics and Culture on TikTok, Elliot revealed that when Zhang met her at the hospital, she was handed $2,000, and her mother, boyfriend, son and daughter $200 each. She said that Zhang appeared unemotional about the birth and that she 'wasn't holding the baby.' She said: 'The baby was wrapped in a bassinet... you would think that somebody that wanted a baby so bad would be holding on that baby and loving that baby and just in awe with that baby.' Another surrogate mother in Pennsylvania, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed to KTLA that she is currently still pregnant with a baby intended for the couple. The 15 children found in the home were aged between two-months and 13-years-old, and six others had been given away. All 21 were taken into the custody of Department of Children and Family Services. Bui said on the street outside the home this week that the staggering allegations have left their quiet neighborhood searching for answers. He asked: '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?' Surrogate Elliot, 27, is now fighting to regain custody of a baby girl she gave to the couple. She said that she was told that the baby was going to a loving family who only had one child, and believed Xuan and Zhang were clients of a surrogate firm that investigators now allege they owned. She told ABC7: 'It's horrific, it's disturbing, it's damaging emotionally. '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. Zhang has denied the allegations, and told KTLA that officials are 'misguided and wrong... We look forward to vindicating any such claims at the appropriate time when and if any actions are brought.' Despite Zhang's alleged claim that she just wanted a large family, one expert fears the mega-family may have been connected to trafficking. Kallie Fell, executive director of the nonprofit Center of Bioethics and Culture, told ABC7 that while the couple may not have broken the law by having so many surrogate children, the situation made her fear they were part of a human trafficking ring. Fell, who is working with Elliot, said that the surrogacy industry is unregulated, and often, 'anything goes.' She said: 'These clinics, these agencies are not regulated by any governing body. 'That to me smells of trafficking... What are the intentions of having that many children at home through these assisted reproductive technologies?'
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.
