California radiologist claims he has video evidence showing that his wife, a dermatologist, spiked his drinks with hazardous household chemicals. After he sustained internal injuries, he put hidden cameras in the kitchen.
Irvine police arrested 45-year-old dermatologist Dr. Yue Yu, who also goes by Emily, last week on suspicion of poisoning. She has not yet been formally charged, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Dr. Jack Chen, her husband of 53 years, applied for a protection order on Friday.
Chen applied for a domestic violence injunction. Chen said she was afraid to be in the same home as the respondent since she tried to poison him with Drano.
Drano is a brand-name chemical drain cleaner that the U.S. government describes as “very dangerous” if ingested, inhaled, or placed in contact with the skin or eyes.
He filed a petition to the court declaring that he had video footage showing his wife taking Draino from under the kitchen sink and pouring it into his lemonade.
Chen, who noticed a “chemical flavor” in lemonade in March/April, became suspicious and installed the cameras. According to the filing, he was also diagnosed as having gastritis and ulcers.
He claimed he had wrapped his drink in plastic wrap which she then allegedly took off and sprayed with alcohol.
According to the filing, the couple was married on July 4, 2012. Soon after, they had two children: a girl and a boy. They are now age 8 and 7 respectively.
Chen wrote: “After the birth of our children, I was concerned about Emily’s behavior. ”
At one point, he alleged, she demanded a massage, and he declined because he was sick.
“She stepped on my head until I did – and also began hiding money from me,” he wrote in the filing.
He claimed his wife and mother-in-law, Yuqin “Amy” Gu, verbally and emotionally abused him for years and also belittled the children, and isolated them from their cousins and friends.
Chen stated that the children live in isolation with only four family members: Amy and Emily and their two children. “They omitted my name in Santa’s letters to avoid Emily getting mad at me.”
In his application for temporary restraining orders, he also requests sole custody of his children.
Yu’s lawyer David Wohl dismissed the allegations and claimed that they were motivated by a recent divorce case concerning child custody.
Tuesday’s statement by Yu stated that Emily Yu has strongly denied any attempt to poison her husband. She strongly denies her husband’s claims of emotional and physical abuse against her and their children.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Yu posted a $30,000 bail Friday and was released. Yu is expected to return to court on November 3rd.
A spokesperson from the DA’s office stated that they are currently reviewing evidence to determine if charges can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
