A California-based dermatologist has been accused by her former patient of allegedly botching up her skin surgery. Ironically, the doctor faces charges for attempting to poison and kill her husband by putting Drano, a strong drain cleaner, in his tea. She was arrested and released on bail.
Dr. Yue” Emily” Yu was the head of the Department of Dermatology at Mission Heritage Medical Group, affiliated with Providence Mission Hospital. She received her medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine in 2006. According to the court papers, a lawsuit filed by a former patient of Yu named Stanley Loran Kelly accused her of medical negligence during a skin cancer treatment procedure known as Moh’s surgery in July 2022. The lawsuit was filed in Orange County, California, in October 2022.
Moh’s surgery is a procedure in which the layers of skin are cut and tested for signs of cancer until no signs of skin cancer are left. The lawsuit mentions that Yu failed to perform the surgery properly, did not provide the patient Keller with proper follow-up care, and did not make suggestions for appropriate consultations and treatment after Moh's surgery. The lawsuit also accuses Yu of delay in diagnosis, improper care and treatment, pain and suffering, financial loss, and other damages arising due to her medical negligence.
Incidentally, Yu has also been charged with four felony charges by the court for poisoning and domestic violence against her estranged husband, Jack Chen, a radiologist. He had accused her of trying to poison him on three occasions by putting Drano in his drinks. The couple had been married for 10 years. Chen had filed a request for a restraining order in August 2022 with the Orange County Superior Court. The Irvine Police Department arrested Yu in August 2022 and later released her on bail after she deposited $30,000.
Chen informed the court that he first started to feel that something was amiss when he realized that there was some weird chemical taste in his lemonade. Later, he visited a doctor and found out that he had developed two stomach ulcers: gastritis and oesophagitis. His suspicions led him to install cameras in the kitchen, which showed Yu attempting to poison him thrice by putting Drano in his drinks. The court granted a restraining order to Yu, barring her from having access to their two kids, and asked her to stay at least 100 yards from their children, except for the court-ordered visits.
The trial for the poisoning case starts in February 2024. The criminal lawyer representing Yu had informed him that his client, Yu, unequivocally and vehemently denied ever attempting to poison her husband or anyone else. The next hearing for the botched skin cancer treatment case is scheduled for October 2024.
(Inputs from various sources)
(Rehash/ Dr. Sushmita Ganguli)
