The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has announced that it plans to dismiss, and later refile, its case against Dr. Emily Yu, the California dermatologist accused of trying to poison her husband with Drano. Prosecutors said they were forced to drop the charges temporarily because a key witness was unable to appear on the first day of Yu’s trial. The case centers on allegations that she poisoned her husband, Dr. Jack Chen, by pouring drain cleaner into his tea.

Yu Was Caught On Hidden Camera Footage

According to a 2023 grand jury indictment, Yu was charged with felony poisoning and domestic battery after investigators obtained hidden camera footage from the couple’s Irvine home. In the video, prosecutors say, Yu was seen pouring a caustic substance into her husband’s cup of lemon tea. Chen, a radiologist, had reported suffering from months of severe stomach pain and internal injuries that doctors could not explain. When he noticed a strange, chemical taste in his tea, he installed cameras in the kitchen to find out why.

Yu’s Attorney Says She Was Trying To Kill Ants

The footage, combined with lab testing by the FBI that confirmed the presence of drain cleaner in the glass. Yu was arrested in August 2022, and her medical license was suspended shortly after. But Yu’s defense team maintains that the evidence has been misinterpreted. Her attorney, Scott Simmons, said that she wasn’t attempting to harm her husband at all. Instead, he argued, she was using Drano to kill ants in the kitchen—something, he said, her husband had even suggested. “It’s our opinion that the medical evidence is inconsistent with his claim that he consumed the Drano,” Simmons told reporters last year. “Drano is a caustic substance. If you drank it, the injuries would be catastrophic. The symptoms he describes are far more consistent with acid reflux.”

The Couple Was At Odds During The Drano Drama

At the time of the alleged poisoning, Yu and Chen were in the middle of a contentious divorce and custody dispute over their two children. Prosecutors alleged that the couple’s unraveling marriage—and Yu’s potential loss of custody—provided a clear motive. The case took an even darker turn when court documents revealed statements from the couple’s daughter, who told a school counselor she feared her mother might poison her as well. The child reportedly said she felt pressured to lie to favor her mother during the custody fight and was afraid of making her angry. Yu’s attorney has denied any suggestion that she ever threatened or harmed her children.

The Case Will Be Refiled

For prosecutors, the case remains active despite the procedural delay. The district attorney’s office said the dismissal is a technical step, not an acquittal, and that they expect to refile charges once the witness is available to testify. Chen has since recovered from his medical issues and has stayed largely out of public view.