China Court Sentences Kindergarten Operator to Life Over Lead Poisoning
A Chinese court sentenced a kindergarten operator to life imprisonment after toxic paint in food caused lead poisoning in over 200 children in the city of Tianshui.
A court in China has sentenced Li Huifang, a kindergarten operator in the city of Tianshui, to life imprisonment after convicting her of producing and selling toxic and harmful food, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Convictions and Sentencing
According to the indictment, kitchen staff at the kindergarten were instructed to mix industrial paint into the food served to children to make it colorful and visually appealing for promotional purposes. The packaging of the paints explicitly warned that they were not edible.
The court also handed down sentences to other employees involved in the case. A senior manager at the kindergarten was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a fine, while four kitchen staff members received prison terms ranging from six to eight years.
Scale of the Poisoning
"There is no known safe blood lead concentration for children; lead exposure can seriously affect children's health and development," the World Health Organization warns.
The scandal came to light in July 2025, after children who consumed the food fell ill and sought medical treatment. Subsequent tests revealed widespread lead exposure, with high blood lead levels found in 247 children and 28 kindergarten staff members.
Food tests detected exceptionally high concentrations of lead in two specific dishes: steamed cakes with red dates contained 1,052 milligrams of lead per kilogram, and corn-and-sausage buns contained 1,340 milligrams per kilogram. By comparison, China's food safety standard is 0.5 milligrams per kilogram. In total, 235 children required treatment for lead poisoning.
