California couple charged in case involving 21 children

Los Angeles County prosecutors have charged Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang with conspiracy to commit child abuse and related offenses after an investigation involving 21 children in their care. Prosecutors allege that children were physically abused by nannies and that Xuan and Zhang monitored the discipline; Xuan’s attorney denies that he beat any children. The allegations have not been adjudicated. Authorities said 15 children were removed from the couple’s Arcadia home and six others living elsewhere were located, bringing the total to 21. The children ranged in age from about two months to 13 years. Officials have not provided a current account of all the children’s placements. The charges vary by defendant. Prosecutors said Xuan faces child-abuse, accessory and witness-dissuasion counts, while Zhang faces accessory and witness-dissuasion counts, in addition to the conspiracy charge. Prosecutors have also accused the couple of misleading surrogate mothers about their family circumstances. Xuan’s attorney, Mitchell Krems, denied that they lied to surrogates. The investigation began after an infant was taken to a hospital in May 2025 with a traumatic head injury.