What lies ahead for the children at the center of the California surrogacy scandal? Experts weigh in.

The arrest of a California couple this week on conspiracy and child abuse charges has raised critical questions regarding the future of the 21 young children at the center of the case, most of them surrogate-born, who were removed from the couple's Arcadia mansion and other properties.

Prosecutors on Tuesday presented a picture of the alleged abuse the children suffered at the property, with the district attorney calling the mansion a "house of horrors."

The complaint detailed allegations of Zhang and Xuan watching and encouraging the abuse of children, most under 4 years of age, at the hands of various nannies. The parents monitored the alleged abuse through a system of 32 cameras in the home, prosecutors allege.

Xuan and Zhang, who pleaded not guilty, are each being held on a $20 million bond. Xuan's attorney, Mitchell Krems, on Tuesday said his client is innocent and that "he is being targeted for exercising his constitutional right to have a large family."

While the allegations laid out by the district attorney were harrowing, nothing was said about the fate of the children.

When reached by CBS News following the parents' arrest, some of the surrogates involved in the case wondered what would happen to the children, while others said they did not want news about the babies if it was upsetting.

McGoveran said she didn't have any knowledge of what happened to the baby. But, according to Nicol Stolar-Peterson, a clinical social worker and child abuse investigator, court proceedings are required within 72 hours after children in California are first removed from a home.

"We have foster parents, we have relative caregivers, we have others that are available to have this child," said Christina Paddock, an associate professor of social work at the University of Southern California.

"We always want to move towards that permanency, them having a permanent place to be and to grow, and to grow in a healthy, safe environment is really, you know, the priority," Paddock said.

A lawyer representing the children declined to comment, citing privacy concerns.

Maria Castellanos had two babies as a surrogate for the couple, a boy in 2022 and a girl in 2024. Zhang promised Castellanos she could see them once a year, but went back on her word, Castellanos said. After the children were removed from the home, Castellanos desperately called lawyers to see if she could foster the children but said no one would help. She is now becoming a foster parent, in the hopes she can help care for the children she carried.

There is a need for more foster parents in California, according to Paddock, who said there is currently a shortage. Surrogates outside California have also sought custody of children they carried for the couple.