Engineer claims colleague poisoned her with cadmium

An engineer in California alleges that a colleague intentionally poisoned her with cadmium, a toxic metal, by contaminating her drink over several months. The incident came to light when she discovered, using a camera, that her colleague had been adding a substance containing cadmium to her beverage.

Health effects and contamination levels

The engineer reportedly suffered from repeated vomiting, hair loss, and multiple emergency room visits before suspecting the contamination. A water sample from her bottle was found to contain cadmium at a level approximately 3.5 million times higher than the U.S. federal limit for drinking water, according to American media.

Legal outcome and conviction

The accused colleague did not formally admit to the poisoning but pleaded "guilty" to the charge in September 2023. This plea led to a conviction without a confession of guilt. He received two years of probation in March 2024, but his conviction was later erased after the probation period ended in October 2026, despite the victim and local prosecutor opposing the erasure.

Cadmium exposure and sources

Cadmium is naturally present in the environment but is also released through human activities, such as industrial processes and the use of certain products. In France, typical exposure to cadmium comes mainly from food and tobacco. If someone suspects intentional or sudden exposure to cadmium, they should seek immediate medical help or contact a poison control center.