A dermatologist in California has been indicted on serious charges for allegedly poisoning her husband’s tea with a toxic substance, believed to be Drano.
During a recent hearing, Dr. Yue ‘Emily’ Yu was charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and three counts of poisoning. If found guilty, she may face a lengthy prison sentence of more than eight years.
Yu’s husband, a radiologist named Jack Chen, became suspicious when he noticed an unusual taste in his tea. In response, he installed a nanny-cam in their $2.7 million home’s kitchen to investigate.
The footage revealed Yu pouring a mysterious substance into his tea, which was later identified as a toxic drain cleaner. Despite surviving the incident, Chen suffered from ulcers as a result of the poisoning and has initiated divorce proceedings following 10 years of marriage.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer condemned Yu’s actions, stating that she intentionally shattered her husband’s sense of security by inflicting torture through poisoned substances without his awareness.
An attorney representing Chen, Steve Hittleman, expressed satisfaction with the indictment, hoping for justice to prevail in this tragic situation.
Following Yu’s arrest, Chen claimed she had subjected him and their children to long-term abuse, including instances where she verbally abused the children using expletives and phrases that conveyed negative, harmful messages.
Yu was granted release on a $30,000 bond after her arrest, while Chen sought a restraining order against her.
No motive for this shocking crime has been revealed. Yu, previously employed at the Providence Healthcare system in Mission Viejo, has had her work headshot removed from the employer’s website, with a spokesman confirming cooperation with the authorities.
According to Chen, Yu’s behavior took a negative turn after the birth of their son and daughter, who are currently seven and eight years old. He also alleged that Yu’s mother, Yuqin ‘Amy’ Gu, joined in the verbal and physical abuse directed at their children.
Subsequent to the alleged poisoning incident, Chen’s health deteriorated, prompting medical intervention, but details about possible poison exposure weren’t provided due to the case’s sensitivity.
