Chinese Nursery Owner Jailed for Life in Lead Poisoning Case
Hundreds of children fell ill after consuming food tainted with lead at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten.
A nursery owner in China has been sentenced to life in prison after she and her staff poisoned over 200 children with lead-tainted food. Li Huifang, who operated the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, was convicted of producing and selling toxic and harmful food, according to Chinese state media reports.
In July 2025, 247 pupils and staff members at the nursery were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels after children began falling sick. An investigation revealed that chefs at the kindergarten had used inedible paint to enhance the visual appeal of meals, reportedly to attract more students. The paint was clearly marked as toxic.
The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court ordered the confiscation of 500,000 yuan (£56,200; $74,700) of Li's personal assets. The nursery's executive principal, Zhi Jinglin, received a 15-year prison sentence and a 300,000 yuan fine. Four other kitchen staff members were sentenced to between six and eight years for following instructions to add toxic ingredients to food.
Food samples taken from the nursery were found to contain lead at levels exceeding China's national safety limit by approximately 2,000 times. Specifically, red date cakes and sausage corn buns, which were consumed by the affected children, had lead concentrations of 1052mg/kg and 1340mg/kg, respectively. These figures significantly surpass the national food safety standard of 0.5mg/kg.
Lead poisoning is known to be particularly harmful to young children, with the World Health Organization stating it can severely damage the brain and central nervous system. The incident prompted an investigation that later uncovered attempts by provincial officials and hospital staff to cover up the poisoning by tampering with blood tests and accepting bribes from a nursery investor.
In response to the incident, China has implemented new national guidelines for campus meal provisions. These measures include mandatory testing for every new batch of food and requiring that flour, rice, and cooking oil be purchased exclusively from centralized procurement points.