Mansion of Horrors: Couple Charged in Child Abuse Case

Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang have been charged with conspiracy to commit child abuse following the discovery of a 'house of horrors' in their Arcadia mansion. Authorities found 14 surrogate children, aged six months to three years, who allegedly endured daily beatings. The mansion was also the registered address for a surrogacy agency run by the couple.

In May 2025, a two-month-old baby named Walter was hospitalized with head injuries, prompting an investigation. Prosecutors described the mansion as a labyrinth with 32 cameras, where children were filmed spending hours by desks or heard screaming from a room without cameras. A nanny, Chunmei Li, has also been charged in relation to Walter's injuries and remains on the run.

The couple, who denies the charges, operated a surrogacy agency, 'Mark Surrogacy,' from their $3.3 million mansion. Court documents reveal that at least one surrogate sued them for failing to disclose their connection to the agency and the number of children they had. Another agency, Babytree Surrogacy, also worked with Xuan, initially believing he wanted a large family.

A total of 26 children are involved, with 21 documented by Zhang as of May 2025 and five born since. These children have been placed under state custody. One child remains with their surrogate mother in Virginia, Melissa Epps, who is currently in a legal dispute with the couple over their surrogacy contract.