(KTLA) – Florida surrogate says she felt neglected and essentially abandoned after the child she carried for the California couple failed to survive.
“I think the thing that hurts me the most is feeling like the baby was abandoned, and so was me,” said Perla, 31, in an interview with Nexstar’s KTLA.
Perla said 38-year-old Sylvia Chang and 65-year-old Guojun Shuan of Arcadia, California, only had one child and was told they wanted a sibling because of infertility issues. She later discovered that she was one of several women who had similar stories told.
So far, six women have moved forward.
A California couple accused women of cheating on carrying their babies through surrogacy. 21 children were seized
After moving on to early labor, Perla spent a month at the hospital and gave birth to a stillborn baby on June 3rd. She said Zhang and Xuan delayed serious paperwork during medical emergency and did not respond to pregnancy and complications, and did not come to the hospital for birth or take responsibility for the baby’s body.
In May, the couple was arrested on suspicion of child danger after one of their children was hospitalized with head injuries. Authorities say surveillance footage claimed that a nanny who abused the child abused the nanny and that parents did not seek immediate medical care.
The couple’s 21 children born from at least surrogacy were later taken to custody custody by the Department of Child and Family Services.
Police say children range from 2 months to 13 years old. They also told KTLA that Silvia Zhang was able to show that she is a legal mama on all birth certificates.
Investigators say they have found additional evidence suggesting that other children in the couple’s vast Arcadia home had been physically and emotionally abused at the hands of their nannies. The neighbor explained that it was a hotel-like home with frequent visitors and a front desk-like setup.
Zhang and Xuan are now free on bonds while facing felony charges of child danger and negligence.
“It’s very devastating and it’s really bad for these kids,” Perla said. “That’s shocking. I knew something was wrong with my situation. I couldn’t put two together and two together.”
Perla and another agent, Kayla, from Texas, said they had been embryo transfer in 2024 at the Fertility Institute in the West, just three months away. Both said they were told that the embryo was created using father’s sperm and donor’s eggs.
When contacted for comment, multiple receptionists at the clinic told KTLA that they had instructed administrators not to talk about the issue.
In a text message from the phone associated with Zhang, KTLA said: “The allegations of misconduct are misplaced and incorrect. We look forward to establishing whether or not such claims are brought at the right time and at any time.”
Dashcam footage shows California police helping their mother at the birth of a roadside
The Virginia woman, who is currently pregnant on behalf of the same couple, told KTLA she was worried about the future of the baby she is carrying. The woman who asked not to be identified is due to give birth on October 1st.
