Kindergarten owner and staff jailed for poisoning 200 children in China

On October 16, 2026, a Chinese court sentenced Li Huifang and five others to prison terms for serving lead-tainted food at the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, which sickened over 247 children and staff. Li received a life sentence and was fined 500,000 yuan ($75,000), while principal Zhu Jinglin got 15 years and a fine of 300,000 yuan. The four kitchen staff members were sentenced to between six to eight years in prison. Chefs used non-edible paint to enhance the appearance of meals, leading to blood lead levels that far exceeded national safety standards—red date cake had 1052mg/kg and corn sausage rolls had 1340mg/kg compared to the limit of 0.5mg/kg.