As of January 2, 2026, Dr. Han Yu was ordered to stop practicing medicine for the time being due to failing his competency exam. On January 13, Consumer Watchdog issued a press release citing the suspension and several reports of medical negligence.
According to the press release, Yu was placed on probation in 2025 for five years due to gross negligence toward two babies and a mother by the Osteopathic Medical Board.
As Yu closes the office for the time being, many mothers on social media have voiced being randomly assigned to different doctors or having a hard time finding a new doctor because they are late in their pregnancies. Yu is ordered to stop practicing until he is able to pass the competency exam and get approval from the board. According to Michele Monserratt-Ramos, patient advocate for Consumer Watchdog, he has two more attempts to take the exam.
Monserratt-Ramos explained that she helped a mother file a complaint about medical negligence, and from there, more mothers started reaching out. She stated that all through California, she works with families, but the majority are from Kern County.
Tracy Dominguez lost her daughter and grandson in 2019 due to her symptoms being ignored. Demi was 23 years old and getting ready to graduate with a degree in psychology when she passed away.
“She was educated. She wanted a better life for her and her son. She was excited to be pregnant,” said Dominguez. “It was a week before her baby shower, and she just started not feeling well and basically just totally got ignored like she didn’t even matter.”
Dominguez said when Demi tried to voice concerns about her symptoms, she was ignored, and about two days later, she passed away from preeclampsia, and 18 hours later, Malakhi died as well. Dominguez said Demi and Malakhi passed away in his father, Xavier’s, arms. When speaking to doctors after Demi’s death, Dominguez said they told her the death was preventable.
“I had one doctor describe it as like, it’s a no-brainer, it’s peanut butter and jelly,” recalled Dominguez. “It could have been prevented by this and this, longer stay and more care. She said basically, she should be here.”
According to the press relase Consumer Watchdog helped several families file complaints against Yu, and no disciplinary action was taken. They later helped a few more families file complaints, which then led to probation. Demi’s case did not prompt disciplinary action following the investigation.
An accusation report signed by Erika Calderon, Executive Director of the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, Department of Consumer Affairs, State of California, cites the three cases that resulted in probation.
“Receiving the news that Demi’s death complaint was closed with no discipline felt like I
had lost my daughter all over again,” stated Dominguez in the release. “I realized that I was not
the only mother who had lost her daughter to this doctor. This motivated me to continue
to advocate in my community along with Consumer Watchdog.”
When discussing what justice looks like, Dominguez stated that as a woman of faith, she believes God is taking care of it. She said that it is God’s story and everything will come to light, and stated that Demi’s story has been told around the nation reach New York and Atlanta.
“I truly believe that God chose her to expose what is happening in this community that needs to be addressed,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez explained that it is hard for doctors to be held accountable for messing up in their jobs because they are protected by the medical board. She said they need to be held accountable for their actions. She added that doctors continue to send mothers home without finding out what is going on.
“That’s why we continue to have stories like this throughout Bakersfield, throughout the country. They’re just not paying attention, and a lot of it goes back to the doctor, said Dominguez. “Until we hold doctors accountable for not doing their job because we hold them to a higher standard, because we’re all taught to listen to your doctor, they’re going to continue doing it. And they’re never going to value anybody.”
Both Monserratt-Ramos and Dominguez said it is important for people and families to research their doctors the same way they would before purchasing a new product. Dominguez said doctors need to understand they are taking care of more than just the patient, but the whole family.
“You’re taking care of the whole family. It might, you know, make a difference for the doctor to understand that the family deals with this every day. It doesn’t go away. The grief never ends; it destroys the family. I want them to follow protocols. I want them to, to teach the mothers about what could happen,” said Dominguez.
She added that there needs to be more education about preeclampsia because when she hosts health fairs, there are mothers who do not know what it is.
Dominguez described her daughter as being loving, full of laughter, and having a heart to help people. When Demi was pursuing her degree, her mother said she also urged her friends to sign up for classes and helped them pick their teachers.
“She has multiple friends who have graduated, and one last year graduated in honor of her. Two of them graduated and became psychologists in honor of her,” said Dominguez. “She just really wanted the best for everybody.”
Demi also worked with autistic children while in school and loved helping them.
“I have three grown autistic children. So at a young age she was very inlove with helping them to have a better life. Even if it was just one child at a time. She made a difference,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez said she was sent a video of a child Demi worked with crying out for her after she passed, and that the mother was trying to explain that Demi would not be coming back, but he didn’t understand.
“So I know she made a difference in that aspect,” said Dominguez.
If Demi were still alive today, her mother believes she would be a therapist by now.
“I don’t have a doubt in my mind that she would already have her master’s and maybe even her own office. I know my daughter. She was determined, she knew what she wanted in life, and she went for it,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez could not pinpoint a favorite memory of her daughter, but said she is happy she told Demi she was proud of her.
“There was a moment when I got to tell her I was proud of her for doing everything she did. Not everybody gets to do that. And so when I told her I was proud of you, she just smiled, and she goes, thank you, mom. I’m so glad I was able to do that because she passed away soon after that,” said Dominguez, adding that Demi truly loved everyone and just wanted everyone to be happy.
