Engineer slowly poisoned coworker’s food and drinks for 18 months, California cops say

An employee at a Berkeley, California, engineering company began to notice a strange taste and smell from food or water left in her office starting back in October 2017, KGO reported.

The woman also sometimes became ill and required medical care after eating or drinking, KPIX reported. Two of her relatives also fell ill after drinking from her water bottle, according to the TV station.

Then surveillance videos caught engineer David Xu slipping something into the woman’s water bottle Feb. 11 and March 4, according to Berkeleyside, which broke the story Monday. Tests showed toxic levels of cadmium in the water, police said.

On Thursday, police arrested Xu, 34, of Lafayette, California, on suspicion of premeditated attempted murder resulting in great bodily injury, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Court papers say Xu tried to kill his co-worker by poisoning her with cadmium in her food, drinks and medication over the past 18 months, according to the publication.

“Cadmium (Cd) is a soft, malleable, bluish white metal,” according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Found mostly in zinc ores, cadmium is highly toxic and used in rechargeable batteries, solar panels and nuclear power plants, among other uses, according to OSHA.

Xu, a senior materials engineer, and the woman both work at Berkeley Engineering and Research, Inc., Berkeleyside reported. Berkeley Engineering and Research, Inc., had no comment on the charges, KPIX reported.

Police have not released a motive in the case..

Blood samples taken from the co-worker, also an engineer, showed “elevated levels of cadmium,” which can cause cancer and death, KPIX reported.

“That’s insane, can’t imagine anyone trying to poison anyone,” said Morgan Davis, Xu’s neighbor, KGO reported.

Xu, who was being held in jail without bail, had a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Berkeleyside reported.

This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 8:24 AM with the headline "Engineer slowly poisoned coworker’s food and drinks for 18 months, California cops say."