Kindergarten Director in China Sentenced to Life in Prison for Poisoning Children

In China, a kindergarten director has been sentenced to life imprisonment after more than 200 children and staff were poisoned by food containing lead. The incident took place in the city of Tianshui, Gansu province. This was reported by the BBC.

It was revealed that in July 2025, excessive levels of lead were found in the blood of 247 kindergarten pupils and staff members. The investigation showed that kitchen staff had used inedible dye to improve the appearance of the meals.

The investigation began after children fell ill and needed medical attention after eating red date pastries and corn buns with sausage. Food samples showed that the lead content was up to 2,000 times higher than established safety limits.

The court found kindergarten owner Li Hueyfang guilty of producing and selling hazardous food and sentenced her to life in imprisonment. Additionally, her property worth 500,000 yuan was confiscated.

The kindergarten's executive director, Zhi Jinglin, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan. Four other employees involved in the case were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to eight years.

During the investigation, it was also revealed that certain officials and hospital staff attempted to cover up the incident by falsifying test results and taking bribes.

Following the incident, China outlined measures to strengthen food safety in educational institutions. Under the new rules, every new batch of food must be tested, and flour, rice, and vegetable oil must be procured through a centralized purchasing system.

According to the World Health Organization, lead poisoning can cause severe damage to children's brains and central nervous system.