Kayla Elliott became a surrogate to help a couple who couldn’t conceive. Instead, she found herself part of something deeply unsettling.
The couple, Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan from Arcadia, California are now under investigation after police discovered they had 21 children, most born via surrogates, living across multiple homes.
Kayla only learned something was wrong when police revealed a 2-month-old baby had been hospitalized with head injuries. The nanny caring for the child had allegedly shaken the baby until it lost consciousness. That baby turned out to be the one Kayla had carried.
Zhang and Xuan were arrested for felony child endangerment and neglect after it was revealed they knew about the abuse and failed to get help. They’ve since been released on $500,000 bail each.
The surrogacy agency that connected Kayla to the couple Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC was registered at the couple’s home and has since been shut down. Despite this, other surrogates say they’re still receiving messages from the agency.
After the birth, Kayla said Zhang barely looked at the baby and handed her $2,000 in cash. The child is now in foster care, and Kayla is working to gain custody.
The other 20 children are under the care of California child welfare services as the FBI investigates whether other surrogates across the country were misled.
“It was very transactional,” Kayla said. “Not what you’d expect from someone who really wanted a child.”
This story sent chills down my spine when I first heard it. In today’s world, the idea of someone having 21 children, through surrogacy, no less is deeply unsettling. None of the possible explanations feel innocent, and the ones that come to mind are too disturbing to say out loud.
I just hope justice is served for every single child they brought into this world only to neglect and abuse. As always, I will provide updates as they come.
Let me know your thoughts. The comments are open.
