A Closer Look at the Surrogate Scandal in California
A woman who almost became a surrogate for a couple in Southern California decided to back out after finding some things fishy. This couple, Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan, are now being investigated by both local and federal authorities. The trouble started when their 2-month-old baby was taken to the hospital with a serious head injury. Since then, 21 children have been taken away from the couple, most of whom were born through surrogates.
What is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is when a woman agrees to carry and deliver a baby for someone else. The kids taken from Zhang and Xuan range in age from 2 months to 13 years, with most being between 1 and 3 years old. The FBI is involved in the investigation, looking into whether the couple misled surrogates across the country. The FBI hasn’t confirmed its investigation yet.
Red Flags and Suspicious Behavior
Esperanza, the woman who backed out, said she was offered $60,000 to be a surrogate. She got suspicious when Zhang asked if any of her friends wanted to be surrogates too. She also noticed some red flags in the contract, like the couple planning to implant two embryos instead of one and the lack of background information on the couple. When she decided not to go through with it, the couple got angry and offered her more money to change her mind.
A Surrogate's Story
Another woman, Kayla Elliott, did become a surrogate for the couple and gave birth to a baby girl in March. She wanted to help someone create a family, but things didn’t go as planned. She only met Xuan when she flew to California to meet the couple, and Zhang didn’t show up. During the pregnancy, she had little contact with the couple, which is unusual in surrogacy. The agency handling the process told her the couple just wanted a big family.
When Elliott gave birth, neither parent was there. Only Zhang showed up a few hours later and didn’t seem very connected to the baby. She gave Elliott $2,000 in cash and left with the baby. Now, Elliott wants custody of the girl and hopes all the other babies are safe. She confronted Zhang about the situation, and Zhang said all the babies are important to them.
Questions About Surrogacy Regulation
This whole situation raises questions about the surrogacy process and how it’s regulated. It’s important for surrogates to be fully informed and for agencies to be transparent. The investigation is ongoing, and it’s crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of all the children involved.