A surrogate mother from Nevada believed she was aiding a Chinese couple who were, she thought, longing for a “miracle baby” when she gave birth. However, she now finds herself among many others trying to uncover the truth after 21 children were removed from the care of Guojun Xuan, 65, and Sylvia Zhang, 38, in Arcadia, California, last year.
Trondelica James, who is 30, recounted how she was aggressively solicited through a Facebook surrogacy group by an agent named Jasmine representing the couple. In her legal filing, James claims she received misleading information about the family’s background and intentions.
In an email from August 2025 that was made part of the court records, she expressed her anger, saying, “What you did was… foul, reckless and cruel. Please tell me the truth about what happened to the baby I carried, the baby you named Poppy.”
James’s experience mirrors that of others who were similarly contacted by Mark Surrogacy or representatives of Future Spring Surrogacy, becoming victims of deception attributed to the couple. They were told that the Chinese couple residing in Los Angeles either had no children or just one, and that a “language barrier” was the reason for the lack of direct communication.
What none of them realized was that both surrogacy agencies were essentially run by Xuan and Chan.
The couple, who are not married, were taken into custody last May on suspicion of child abuse and neglect but are now out on bail. They are still under investigation by state authorities, but no formal charges have been pressed.
In the past six months, reports indicate that five additional babies have been born to the couple via surrogates in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
Concerns first emerged when their two-month-old son was hospitalized with severe injuries, prompting medical staff to suspect abuse. Hospital records paint a troubling picture: the infant was seen “shaking and vomiting” while in a neck brace. Later, authorities determined that the injuries were caused by a nanny shaking him, an incident documented on surveillance footage.
During a raid, police discovered 15 children under the age of three in the couple’s nine-bedroom home, with an additional six found elsewhere among friends and family.
Xuan and Chan assert that they are the parents of all these children and simply desire a large family. They are currently fighting to regain custody through legal proceedings in four states.
Both were born in China and are reportedly the biological parents of one daughter born naturally, but the details surrounding their other children remain murky.
Surrogate mothers, including Harry Weaver, 30, who was alerted about the investigation through a surrogacy lawyer, are now advocating for custody of their children. Weaver underwent an embryo transfer she was told involved a donated egg from Zhang. It wasn’t until after she gave birth that the criminal investigation came to light.
“Their profiles were all lies,” she stated, emphasizing the battle she now faces to adopt the boy she named Gabriel, whose legal standing is uncertain as the state claims custody.
Meanwhile, Xuan and Chan have filed a lawsuit in Virginia against their surrogate mothers, alleging breach of contract and seeking custody of the newborns along with $1 million from each, though their original agreements were much less, at $70,000 and $45,000.
Attempts to reach Xuan and Zhang for comment were unsuccessful. They have denied any wrongdoing in court documents, and their lawyer declined to discuss the case.
James and her husband, Travis, who reside in Nevada with their young son, are pursuing punitive damages up to $100 million for fraud, breach of contract, and emotional distress, as indicated in their complaint.
While it’s not clear when she handed the baby over to Xuan and Chan, court documents suggest she entered into a surrogacy agreement in 2024.
“You risked my life. You risked my child’s life,” James detailed in her email to the couple, adding her accusation of their exploitation of her trust and motherhood.
James chose not to comment on the situation due to ongoing legal matters.
Another surrogate, Kayla Elliott, who gave birth to one of Xuan and Chan’s children last March, is also fighting for custody of her child, who is currently with the state.
“I think there’s definitely a hint of human trafficking,” Elliott remarked, questioning the couple’s claim about wanting 21 children in a short span of time.
Her child was born just prior to the police raid, which revealed unsettling conditions within Xuan and Chan’s home.
According to police affidavits, surveillance footage depicted disturbing behavior towards one of the toddlers by a nanny.
Authorities have suggested that Xuan and Chan were aware of the abuse happening and failed to intervene.
Additionally, the FBI is reportedly investigating whether the couple deceived surrogates across the nation, though the FBI has denied involvement.
The ongoing investigation is also looking into claims that the couple sold their babies, something Zhang has categorically denied, asserting, “We would never sell our babies. We take great care of them.”
