Doctor & Wife Accused of Killing Son to Continue Working

A Butte County judge says a Chico doctor and his nurse wife can continue working while awaiting trial on charges they killed their two-year-old son.

James and Edelyn Yhip returned to court Friday afternoon, where representatives from the Attorney General’s office asked the judge to suspend Dr. James Yhip’s medical license and Edelyn’s nursing license as a condition of their bail.

The Attorney General’s representatives claim the Yhip’s pose a threat to the public while at work, but the defense argued that isn’t the case because neither of the defendants work with kids.

The Yhips are facing murder charges in connection with the April death of their adopted two-year-old son, Benjamin.

Investigators claim Benjamin died from blunt force trauma to the head, and say while investigating his death they found evidence of ongoing abuse.

The defense says the two-year-old, who was adopted from Taiwan along with his twin brother, suffered from a genetic disorder.

Friday’s hearing was a continuation of a hearing from last Thursday.

After reviewing the statements from both sides and police reports Judge Steven Howell refused to suspend the couple’s license saying the alleged crime appeared to be “isolated to the defendants’ nuclear family.”

The Yhips are due back in court August 16th where they are expected to enter not guilty pleas on the murder charges.

James Yhip has already returned to work at his Chico cardiology practice, and Edelyn Yhip is working part-time with cancer patients.

The couple’s other two children have been placed in protective custody.