LOS ANGELES (AP) – A woman named Esperanza, who nearly became a surrogate for a couple in Southern California, has disclosed that she withdrew from the arrangement after the couple asked her if any of her friends might also be interested in serving as surrogates. This unsettling request, coupled with inconsistent information from the couple, led Esperanza to back out from signing a surrogacy contract with Silvia Zhang, who had offered her $60,000. She chose to keep her last name private to protect her confidentiality regarding this experience.

Silvia Zhang, 38, and her husband Guojun Xuan, 65, are at the center of an investigation by local and federal authorities following a serious incident in May, where their infant child was hospitalized with a traumatic head injury. Subsequently, authorities removed 21 children from the couple's home, many of whom were born through surrogacy, according to Lieutenant Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department, situated near Los Angeles. The age range of these children varies from 2 months to 13 years old, with the majority falling between 1 and 3 years of age.

As part of a broader investigation involving the couple, Esperanza is among at least eight women who report being aggressively solicited by Zhang and Xuan for surrogacy. Many of these women claim they received misleading or incomplete details regarding the couple's family dynamics and intentions. In contrast to Esperanza, another prospective surrogate, Kayla Elliott, did proceed with the surrogacy and is now seeking custody of the baby she delivered in March for the couple.

The FBI is reportedly collaborating with the Arcadia police in investigating whether Zhang and Xuan misled surrogates across the country, although the FBI has not officially confirmed this aspect of the inquiry. Elliott has mentioned that she was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May concerning the situation.

Elliott's surrogacy contract, which she shared with the Associated Press, was facilitated through a business named Mark Surrogacy. Records indicate that Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC was registered at the couple's home in Arcadia until June. However, an AP reporter’s visit to the registered address yielded no recognition of the couple or the surrogacy business from locals. Multiple attempts to reach Zhang and representatives of Mark Surrogacy for comments have gone unanswered.

Women who previously served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan shared their experiences online, highlighting concerning patterns, including unmet financial obligations and the couple’s absence during childbirth. Many others reached out to the AP but opted to wait for legal advice before discussing their experiences.

In May, Zhang and Xuan were arrested after a hospital reported the traumatic injury of their 2-month-old infant, which was attributed to a nanny reportedly shaking the baby. Although the police did not press charges initially, they are currently exploring possible child abuse allegations.

Esperanza's interactions with Zhang began in early 2023 after she posted in a Facebook group focused on surrogacy, prompting Zhang to reach out. Initially, Zhang stated that she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China and were facing fertility challenges. However, things took a turn for Esperanza when Zhang inquired whether she had friends willing to act as surrogates as well.

Feeling uneasy, Esperanza eventually opted out after a problematic phone conversation with the couple's lawyer. She noted discrepancies in the surrogacy contract, specifically that a clause requiring background information about the couple was omitted. Subsequently, communications from Zhang, in which she offered additional financial incentives, made Esperanza increasingly uncomfortable.

Kayla Elliott, who ultimately followed through with the surrogacy, reported significant concerns throughout her pregnancy. After being approached by Mark Surrogacy via Facebook, she signed a contract worth $65,000 to carry a child for Zhang and Xuan. However, upon visiting California for embryo transfer, Elliott encountered irregularities when only Xuan attended the meeting. Throughout the pregnancy, contact with the couple was minimal, which is unusual in surrogacy agreements. When she delivered the baby, only Zhang arrived a few hours later, appearing detached from the newborn.

As a result of these experiences and the unfolding investigation, Elliott is now seeking custody of the girl she bore for Zhang and Xuan. In her attempts to confront Zhang about the situation, Elliott received concerning messages that expressed the couple’s ambiguous regard for the welfare of the children involved.