A woman who was poisoned by a co-worker with the toxic heavy metal cadmium, suffering severe chronic health issues for years, has spoken out following the dismissal of her perpetrator's felony conviction. Rong Yuan expressed deep frustration, stating, "The system failed me," after a judge approved the dismissal of charges against David Xu, who had been convicted of felony poisoning.
For two years, Yuan, a highly trained metallurgist, experienced inexplicable hair loss, chronic nausea, and vomiting, leading her to believe she was losing her sanity. The frightening possibility of deliberate poisoning arose when her mother detected an unusual taste in the water from a bottle at Yuan's desk at Berkeley Engineering & Research. A hidden camera captured Xu approaching Yuan's desk and pouring a substance into her water bottle on March 4, 2019. Subsequent testing revealed dangerously high levels of cadmium in the water.
Xu was arrested in 2019 and convicted of one count of felony poisoning. However, on Monday, a judge granted his petition for dismissal of the charge after he completed his probation. This decision, made over the objections of the Alameda District Attorney's office, means Xu's criminal record for this offense will not be visible in standard background checks, a fact that deeply concerns Yuan. She fears he could harm others in future employment.
Yuan, who has largely avoided public attention until now, decided to break her silence due to her fear that Xu might reoffend. "Once a judge approves his petition, no company can find the criminal record based on background search; now they also need to do an internet search," Yuan stated. The dismissal is permissible under California law if all probation conditions are met. The District Attorney's office confirmed their opposition to the motion but acknowledged the court's decision.
The long-term health consequences for Yuan and her family have been devastating. Yuan, her mother, and her father all tested positive for elevated cadmium levels in 2019. Yuan believes her father's death in September 2025 was linked to ingesting contaminated water. The initial charges against Xu were extensive, including premeditated attempted murder and poisoning with an enhancement, but a plea deal in 2023 reduced the charge to one felony count of poisoning without additional jail time. The judge in that case notably described the plea deal as "extremely generous."
Yuan has published research on the long-term effects of cadmium poisoning, detailing her symptoms that began around February 2017, coinciding with when she believes Xu started poisoning her. Her father, who previously managed hypertension and maintained an active lifestyle, suffered worsening symptoms, recurring strokes, and ultimately died from heart failure. Yuan continues to experience liver and gastrointestinal issues, stating, "Cadmium will stay in the human body for a long time, damaging my health continuously for the rest of my life."
