A Chinese couple residing in the United States has been arrested by local police after it was revealed that they monitored and physically punished over 20 children obtained through surrogacy via closed-circuit television (CCTV).

The Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press reported on the 6th local time that Xuan Guojun (65) and Sylvia Zhang (38), a Chinese couple living in Arcadia, California, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit child abuse and witness intimidation.

According to court records, the couple has a total of 22 children, with at least 20 of them born through surrogacy.

The children range in age from 13 years old down to 2 months old. Most of them are between 1 and 3 years old, as the couple hired surrogate mothers simultaneously over the past few years.

Among them, 15 children lived in a nine-bedroom mansion in Arcadia, where they were cared for by six live-in nannies.

The Associated Press reported that there were three rooms inside the mansion referred to as learning centers, where the children were required to sit at desks for hours.

The couple installed 25 cameras throughout the house and monitored them from their bedroom.

In addition, all the children had buzz cuts and were reportedly subjected to physical punishment by the nannies.

CCTV footage also captured scenes of nannies striking children in the face or forcing them into a squatting punishment.

In May of last year, one of the nannies inflicted head trauma on a 2-month-old infant, resulting in symptoms of brain hemorrhage. This led to the couple being arrested once before being released without charges.

The nanny in question fled to China prior to the arrest.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called it an "unprecedented and horrific case," adding that it can only be described as a "house of horror" for the children.

Xuan is a real estate investor, and one of his properties was used as an illegal casino and marijuana storage facility, placing him under authorities' surveillance since 2021.

He previously stated in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that China's "one-child policy" was the reason why he wanted to have many children in the US.

His legal representative also argued that Xuan pursued surrogate births for the purpose of nurturing talented individuals.

Attorney Mitchell Krems said, "Some rich people spend money on jewelry or cars, but [Xuan] spent money to educate children and make them philosophers, doctors, researchers, and inventors who will contribute to society."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)