A California dermatologist who allegedly repeatedly poisoned her husband by pouring drain cleaner into his tea final 12 months, inflicting him abdomen ulcers, has been indicted by a grand jury, the Orange County District Legal professional’s Workplace introduced Wednesday.
Yue Yu, of Irvine, was indicted on three felony counts of poisoning and one felony rely of home battery with corporal harm after she allegedly tainted her husband’s tea over a number of weeks with what District Legal professional Todd Spitzer referred to as a “Drano-like substance meaning to trigger him ache and struggling.”
Her husband of a decade, who police haven’t publicly recognized, allegedly caught Yu “pouring a substance out of a bottle of liquid drain cleaner into her husband’s tea that was left on the counter” on three totally different dates final July through cameras he arrange within the household’s kitchen, in keeping with the information launch from the district lawyer’s workplace. The husband beforehand recognized the beverage as a “scorching lemonade drink.”
The husband’s lawyer recognized him on Thursday to NBC Information as Dr. Jack Chen, 53, a radiologist.
“We’re glad that the grand jury noticed the proof and made the choice that we consider is the suitable choice and that is one other step in getting a horrible flip of occasions resolved,” lawyer Steven Hittelman stated.
The couple’s divorce is pending, and Chen and his two kids, ages 8 and 9, have an energetic home violence restraining order in opposition to Yu, although the kids are capable of have unsupervised visits along with her, Hittelman added.

Chen arrange the cameras after he “started noticing an odd style to the tea he drinks daily” in early April 2022, the district lawyer’s workplace stated. After the cameras caught the alleged poisoning, he gave samples of the tea to the Irvine Police Division, who forwarded them to the FBI, “which confirmed the substance was in line with liquid drain cleaner,” in keeping with the district lawyer’s workplace.
Yu’s former lawyer, David Wohl, beforehand stated she “vehemently and unequivocally denies ever making an attempt to poison her husband or anybody else.” Wohl stated Thursday he’s not representing Yu.
Her present attorneys couldn’t instantly be reached for remark Thursday morning.
Yu might resist eight years and eight months in jail if convicted on all counts, the district lawyer’s workplace stated. Her arraignment is about for April 18.
Police arrested Yu, who goes by the primary identify Emily, final August on suspicion of poisoning; she was launched from the Orange County Jail a day later after posting a $30,000 bond.
NBC Los Angeles reported that Yu and Chen have been concerned in a baby custody dispute since final 12 months, and that she not too long ago filed to have him financially help her, claiming she has been unable to work because the allegations surfaced. Within the restraining order submitting, Chen stated Yu referred to as him from jail asking him to put up bail however he refused, in keeping with NBC Los Angeles.
He additionally alleged within the restraining order submitting that “each kids have suffered bodily, verbal and emotional abuse by their mom … and their maternal grandmother,” NBC Los Angeles reported.
The indictment requires Yu, a dermatologist affiliated with Windfall Mission Hospital, to “self-report to the Medical Board of California, which is able to decide whether or not she will likely be allowed to proceed to follow medication,” the district lawyer’s workplace stated.
A spokesperson for the hospital beforehand stated Yu is a dermatologist with Mission Heritage Medical Group, which serves communities in South Orange County, and that her workplace shouldn’t be positioned within the hospital.
“That is an energetic police investigation and Mission Heritage Medical Group is cooperating absolutely with the Irvine Police Division,” the spokesperson stated final 12 months. “The incident is a home matter which occurred in Irvine, and we need to reassure our group that there was no influence on our sufferers.”
Representatives for Windfall Mission Hospital and Mission Heritage Medical Group couldn’t instantly be reached Thursday.