Attorney explains why the father in California surrogacy scandal wanted 21 kids
ARCADIA, Calif. -- It's been a mystery for more than a year now. Why did an Arcadia couple at the center of a surrogacy scandal want 21 children?
An attorney for an Arcadia man at the center of an ongoing surrogacy scandal says his client wanted the nearly two dozen children because he believed they could grow up to make meaningful contributions to society.
The explanation came from attorney Mitchell Krems, who represents Guojun Xuan, one of two Arcadia parents who remain under investigation, according to law enforcement sources. Arcadia police have said Xuan and Silvia Zhang are the parents of 21 children, many of whom were born through a surrogate company the couple owns.
Krems described Xuan's motivation as rooted in a desire to help create good citizens.
When asked why Xuan has so many children, Krems said, "That's a great question, because on the surface, it seems like it's very eccentric, but I have gotten to know Mr. Xuan on a very personal level as his attorney, and it has become apparent to me that his desire to have so many kids emanates from his altruism."
Krems said Xuan's goal is to raise children who become productive adults.
"The reason he has all these children is because he wants them to contribute to society. He is not a man who is self-indulgent. Some who are wealthy might spend on jewelry or cars, but he is actually spending his resources to help his children become educated so that they can be the philosophers, the physicians, the researchers and the inventors that help society," Krems said.
The couple has been under scrutiny since last summer, when they were arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and later released without being charged.
A search warrant obtained by ABC affiliate KABC shows the investigation began after their then-2-month-old son suffered an apparent head injury.
According to investigators, the couple's nanny, Chunmei Li, was captured on security camera video holding the infant inside the home. The warrant states that footage shows the baby "cries for a few seconds until a thud or hit is heard," and that "crying suddenly stops." Police wrote that after Li's "attempt to wake him up" was "no success," the video shows Li "shake him."
Li remains at large, according to investigators.
The warrant also includes photos of children in the home, including children seated in two rows of desks with teachers and nannies present. Detectives wrote that one image showed an adult hitting a child in the face, while another showed a child doing squats. A separate image showed a child being spanked while face down on a desk, investigators say.
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KABC asked Krems whether children inside the Arcadia home had been abused.
"I am Mr. Xuan's attorney on all respective matters, and I can't comment due to confidentiality as to search warrants or any pending case, but what I will say is any general accusation that my client is abusive in any way whatsoever is categorically false," Krems said.
Last summer, the 21 children found in the home were placed in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
When asked whether Xuan has been able to regain custody of the children, Krems said he could not comment on dependency matters.
