LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who nearly acted as a surrogate for aSouthern California couplecurrently being looked into by officials, she withdrew after the couple inquired if any of her friends would be interested in carrying a child for them.
The request, along with the contradictory information she received, made the woman, Esperanza, feel uneasy, leading her to refuse signing a surrogacy agreement with Silvia Zhang, who was offering her $60,000. Esperanza spoke with The Associated Press, requesting that her last name not be disclosed as she has not publicly shared her surrogacy experience.
Zhang, aged 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, are currently under investigation by local and federal officials following their newborn's hospitalization in May due to a severe head injury. Since then, authorities have removed 21 children from the couple's care.numerous individuals who came into the world through a surrogate mother, stated Lt. Kollin Cieadlo from the Arcadia Police Department, close to Los Angeles.
An arrangement involving individuals where a woman carries a child, usually via embryo implantation, and gives birth to a baby for the intended parent or couple to care for.
The kids are between 2 months and 13 years old, with the majority aged 1 to 3.
Role of federal officials in the inquiry
Esperanza is among at least eight women who claim they were strongly encouraged by the couple to act as surrogates. These women, many of whom had never been surrogates before, allege they received inaccurate or insufficient details about the couple's family background and plans. Some, including Esperanza, decided not to proceed with carrying a child for the couple. Another woman, Kayla Elliott, went ahead but is now seeking custody of a baby she gave birth to in March on behalf of the couple.
The Arcadia police mentioned that the FBI is part of the inquiry regarding whether the couple provided false information to surrogates across the country. The FBI has not yet verified its involvement in the investigation. Elliott stated that she was questioned by the FBI at the end of May.
Elliott was involved with a company named Mark Surrogacy, as stated in the contract she provided to the AP. State records from California indicate that a firm called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC was registered at the company's Arcadia address until June of this year. Elliott's contract listed an El Monte address for the business. An AP reporter visited that location on Thursday and found no one who was familiar with the couple's names or Mark Surrogacy.
Zhang did not reply to calls or emails requesting a statement. Representatives from Mark Surrogacy did not respond to email inquiries, and neither did a fertility clinic associated with the embryo transfer.
In social media updates, other women who claim they acted as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan described questionable behaviors such as the couple failing to meet financial responsibilities and not being there during the children's births. Several women reached out by the AP either didn't reply or mentioned they would only talk once they had a lawyer.
Injured infant draws concern
Zhang and Xuan were taken into custody in May following a hospital report stating that their two-month-old child suffered a severe head injury, which was caused by a caregiver at the residence violently shaking the baby, as per Arcadia police.
The Arcadia police did not press charges initially, according to Cieadlo, in order to complete a thorough investigation, with detectives examining potential child abuse allegations and expecting to submit a case within several weeks.
The couple informed the police that they "wanted a large family" and provided what seemed to be valid birth certificates, including some from outside California, which identify Zhang as the mother of the children, according to Cieadlo. Xuan was listed as the father on at least a few of the birth certificates, Cieadlo added.
Potential surrogate backs out
Esperanza's interactions with Zhang started in 2023. She had shared a post in a Facebook group focused on surrogacy and was contacted by Zhang.
Zhang mentioned that she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China but were facing difficulties with fertility. Zhang stated that she was working with a surrogate who was already pregnant, but she wanted "twins," so she was looking for a second surrogate. However, Esperanza said things began to seem unusual after Zhang asked if she had any friends interested in being surrogates.
"She mentioned she's a real estate agent in Arcadia, which is why she has a lot of money and could afford several surrogates back then," Esperanza said.
Esperanza withdrew from the surrogacy arrangement after the couple's lawyer suddenly ended the call while they were reviewing the contract. She mentioned that the agreement stated the couple would transfer two embryos rather than one, and the part asking for background details about the couple had been removed. The couple became upset when she chose not to proceed.
Esperanza shared text messages with the AP that revealed Zhang was willing to pay an additional $3,000 if she continued, along with a further $2,000 reward upon confirmation of a fetal heartbeat.
A surrogate seeking legal guardianship of a child
Elliott welcomed a daughter in March. She decided to become a surrogate because she "truly wanted to help someone build a family."
A woman from Texas initiated the process after Mark Surrogacy contacted her directly through Facebook. She entered into an agreement that named Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract specified that Elliott would receive $45,000.
Elliott became cautious when, early on in the pregnancy, she traveled to California to meet the couple and only Xuan was present. As the process continued, Elliott had very little direct interaction with Xuan and Zhang, which is not typical in surrogacy. Most communication took place through text messages and emails with agency representatives, who advised her against contacting Zhang directly.
She mentioned, 'They're always very busy individuals.'
When she found out that the couple had already used two other surrogates to have children, she was informed by the agency, "they simply want a large family."
Elliott traveled to California for the embryo transfer, which took place at the Western Fertility Institute in Los Angeles. The clinic chose not to respond to the investigation.
Neither parent was present during Elliott's labor or birth, and only Zhang arrived a few hours after the baby was born. The woman "didn't seem very attached to the child... she hardly looked at her," Elliott said.
After giving Elliott $2,000 in cash and distributing $200 each to three of her relatives present in the room, the woman departed with the infant girl.
Now, Elliott is seeking custody of the child and mentions that she just wishes all the infants are secure. When the news about the couple first surfaced, she reached out to Zhang via phone and text.
In text messages shown to the AP, Zhang stated: “All the babies are very important in our lives.”
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