Asian Couple Arrested on Child Abuse Charges
Operated Surrogacy Births Through Registered Company
An Asian couple has been arrested by the police in Los Angeles County, California, on charges of failing to properly care for numerous children born through surrogacy.
According to major U.S. media outlets such as NBC and CNN on July 17 (local time), Arcadia Police in LA County announced that they had arrested Sylvia Jang (38) and Guo Jun Xuan (65) on felony charges including child neglect and endangerment.
Guo Jun Xuan (left photo), Sylvia Jang, and Chunmei Lee, Chinese American individuals arrested by the police in the United States on charges including child abuse. Arcadia Police Department
The police investigation began in May, after a two-month-old infant under the couple's care was hospitalized with a severe head injury. Medical staff suspected possible child abuse and reported the case to authorities, prompting an investigation.
As a result of the investigation, it was found that the infant likely lost consciousness after being violently shaken by Chunmei Lee (56), a nanny working at the couple's home. The couple reportedly failed to take appropriate action for more than two days, despite being aware of the incident. The nanny is currently missing, and the police have issued an arrest warrant. A police spokesperson stated, "After reviewing the home's CCTV footage, the severity of both verbal and physical discipline strongly supported suspicions of child abuse occurring in the household."
The police have also obtained an arrest warrant for the missing nanny and are actively pursuing her. In addition, they are expanding the investigation in cooperation with the FBI to determine whether there were any legal violations related to the couple's excessive use of surrogates and their child-rearing practices.
During the investigation, police discovered 15 children at the couple's residence, and identified an additional 6 children who had been entrusted to family members or acquaintances. The ages of these children ranged from two months to 13 years old, with most of them reported to be infants or toddlers.
The couple was registered as the legal parents of the children through official documents such as birth certificates, and some of the surrogates voluntarily informed the police that they had given birth to these children. A police spokesperson stated, "It is possible that one or two of the children are biologically the offspring of the Jang couple."
Investigators also found evidence that the couple had recruited surrogates and arranged births under the name "Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC." This company was registered at the couple's home address, and its business license expired last month.
Kyla Elliott, a woman who participated as a surrogate, told NBC in an interview that she was shocked to learn the couple was raising so many children. Elliott testified that after giving birth, Jang arrived late at the hospital and hardly cared for the baby, which she found suspicious. Elliott recalled, "Jang did not seem like someone who genuinely wanted a child. It felt like a transaction." Elliott is currently preparing a lawsuit regarding the legal custody of the child and is conducting an online fundraising campaign.
The police stated that they are conducting a joint investigation with the FBI in this case and added that a review of surrogacy-related legal regulations is necessary.
Through local media outlet KTLA-TV, Jang's side stated, "We only wanted a large family," adding, "All charges are unfounded, and we are prepared to respond legally."
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