Kindergarten operator in China jailed for life after more than 200 children get lead poisoning

A kindergarten operator in China has been sentenced to life imprisonment for violating national food safety regulations.

Li Huifang instructed kitchen staff to add inedible paint to food to enhance its colour and entice children to eat it, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

In July 2025, 233 children at the kindergarten were found to have lead poisoning, prompting an investigation into the incident at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu Province.

Lead poisoning

Food samples from the kindergarten were found to contain lead at levels up to 2,000 times higher than China’s national food safety limit, according to the BBC.

Investigators found that the red date cakes and corn sausage rolls contained 1,052mg/kg and 1,340mg/kg of lead, respectively, far exceeding the national food safety limit of 0.5mg/kg, BBC reported.

It was also found that dozens of provincial officials and hospital staff had attempted to cover up the incident by tampering with blood test results and accepting bribes from a nursery investor.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), young children are particularly vulnerable to lead’s toxic effects, which can cause lasting health problems, especially to the development of the central nervous system.

Sentenced

On Oct. 16, Li was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 500,000 yuan (S$95,700).

Kindergarten principal Zhu Jinglin was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 30,000 yuan (S$5,700).

Four kitchen workers were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to eight years.