# Chinese Kindergarten Owner Sentenced to Life for Lead Poisoning 247 Children and Staff

> A court in northwest China sentenced six individuals, including the kindergarten owner, for deliberately mixing lead paint into food, harming hundreds.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-20T07:00:25.388419Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/chinese-kindergarten-owner-sentenced-to-life-for-lead-poisoning-247-children-and-staff-8c8649d0

On October 16, 2026, a court in northwest China sentenced kindergarten owner Li Huifang to life imprisonment for deliberately poisoning 247 children and staff with lead paint mixed into food at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten [1][4][5][11][12][16][17][18][20]. Five other individuals, including the executive principal and kitchen workers, also received prison sentences ranging from six to fifteen years for their roles in the scheme [1][2][8].

This incident highlights persistent food safety challenges in China and the severe risks faced by vulnerable populations, particularly young children, when such regulations are violated [2][4][8][21]. The case sparked widespread public outrage across China, reflecting ongoing concerns about food safety [10][21].

## What the Records Show

The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court found Li Huifang guilty of producing and selling toxic and harmful food [2][8]. She was sentenced to life in prison, and her personal assets totaling 500,000 yuan were ordered to be confiscated [2][8]. The court determined that Li Huifang and executive principal Zhu Jinglin instructed kitchen staff to add inedible lead-containing pigments to food [2][8]. The purpose was to enhance the food's visual appeal [1][2][4]. Laboratory tests later revealed lead concentrations in food samples, such as red steamed buns with dates and baked goods with sausages and corn, that exceeded China's permissible limits by up to 2,000 times [4][8][23]. Zhu Jinglin received a 15-year prison sentence and a 300,000 yuan fine [2][8]. Four kitchen workers involved were sentenced to terms between six and eight years [2][8].

## Investigation and Timeline

The scheme to add lead-containing pigments to food began in May 2024 [1][6]. The poisonings came to light in July 2025 when children at the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, began falling ill [2][4][8]. A provincial investigation report confirmed that contaminated pastries had been served to children and staff monthly since the scheme began [6]. Subsequent examinations revealed that 247 children and staff members suffered from abnormally high blood lead levels and related health issues [1][4][7][8].

## The Impact

The victims, numbering 247, experienced elevated blood lead levels, which can lead to various health problems [1][2]. According to the World Health Organization, lead is a toxic heavy metal particularly dangerous to young children, as exposure can severely damage their brains and nervous systems [4][8]. The lead-tainted food caused symptoms including sore stomachs, vomiting, and constipation [2].

## What the Defendants Said

The available evidence does not include public statements made by Li Huifang, Zhu Jinglin, or the other convicted staff members regarding the charges or their sentencing.

## What We Could Not Confirm

We could not confirm the current health status or long-term prognosis for the 247 children and staff who suffered from lead poisoning. Details regarding any civil lawsuits filed by the victims or their families were also not available in the provided records.

## Evidence cited
1. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (VnExpress) — https://vnexpress.net/
2. Chinese kindergarten owner jailed for life after more than 200 children poisoned with lead paint (the-independent.com) — https://the-independent.com/
3. Nursery owner jailed for life after more than 200 children poisoned by lead paint in food (mirror.co.uk) — https://mirror.co.uk/
4. Life imprisonment for poisoning children: in China, food was colored with lead paint exceeding (sud.ua) — https://sud.ua/
5. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (SBS News) — https://sbs.co.kr/
6. Nursery owner jailed for life after hundreds of children poisoned in China (anews.com.tr) — https://anews.com.tr/
7. Kindergarten owner jailed for life after poisoning 247 children with lead paint (geo.tv) — https://geo.tv/
8. Nursery owner in China jailed for life after hundreds of children poisoned (thejournal.ie) — https://thejournal.ie/
9. Nursery owner in China jailed for life for poisoning 247 children with lead paint (mothership.sg) — https://mothership.sg/
10. 8 detained in China for lead poisoning after high levels detected in kindergarten children (South China Morning Post) — https://scmp.com/
11. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (Anadolu Agency) — https://aa.com.tr/
12. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (Xinhua News Agency) — https://news.cn/
13. Nursery owner in China jailed for life after hundreds of children poisoned (hindustantimes.com) — https://hindustantimes.com/
14. Kindergarten operator jailed for life over children's lead poisoning (saudigazette.com.sa) — https://saudigazette.com.sa/
15. China: Kindergarten Owner Jailed for Life After Hundreds of Children Poisoned (wideopencountry.com) — https://wideopencountry.com/
16. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (Qazinform) — https://qazinform.com/
17. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (AsiaOne) — https://asiaone.com/
18. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (The Star (Kenya)) — https://the-star.co.ke/
19. (October 16 2026) A court in China has sentenced the operator of a kindergarten and other employees to prison terms over tainted food. — https://washingtonpost.com/
20. Chinese Kindergarten Owner Gets Life Sentence for Deliberately Poisoning Children with Lead (The Star (Malaysia)) — https://thestar.com.my/
21. (July 09 2025) More than 200 kindergarten students in northwestern China were found to have abnormal blood lead levels after kitchen staff used paint as food coloring, authorities said, in a case that's stoked outrage in a country long plagued by food safety scandals. — https://cnn.com/
22. China detains principal over lead poisoning (The Malaysian Reserve) — https://themalaysianreserve.com/
23. Lead poisoning in China: authorities intervene after nursery scandal (BMJ) — https://bmj.com/
24. (July 25 2025) Yet another food scandal has rocked China: Over 200 children from Gansu have been hospitalized with lead poisoning. It's not just because the authorities are turning a blind eye. — https://table.media/
25. Current time information in China. — https://www.google.com/search?q=time+in+China
26. (October 16 2026) A court in China has sentenced the operator of a kindergarten and other employees to prison terms over tainted food. More than 200 students were found with high... — https://kvue.com/
27. (July 10 2025) Authorities in China have reported more than 200 children fell sick after being given food with high levels of lead. Health officials identified 233 students at a preschool in Gansu province had abnormal levels of lead in their blood. At least 200 children are believed to have been admitted to hospital. State media reported that eight people had been arrested. Investigators found two food samples had lead levels of 1,052 mg/kg and 1,340 mg/kg. These amounts far exceed the national — https://foodsafetynews.com/
28. (July 10 2025) In Northwestern China, more than 200 children enrolled at a private kindergarten have been hospitalized for lead poisoning. Investigators suspect school kitchen staff used non-edible lead paint to make certain food items. Officials arrested eight people. — https://food-safety.com/
29. Abstract. Background. A major food safety incident in China was made public in September 2008. Kidney and urinary tract effects, including kidney stones, affected about 300,000 Chinese infants and young children, with six reported deaths. Melamine had been deliberately added at milk-collecting stations to diluted raw milk ostensibly to boost its protein content. Subsequently, melamine has been detected in many milk and milk-containing products, as well as other food and feed products, which were — https://nih.gov/
30. (April 09 2007) In September of 2008, media reports emerged that thousands of infants in China had fallen ill from drinking infant formula tainted with dangerous quantities of melamine. An industrial chemical commonly used in plastics and resins, melamine had been intentionally added to milk as a ‘fake’ protein, allowing producers to dilute the product but fraudulently pass nutrition tests. Rather than testing directly for protein, these tests measure nitrogen, which makes up 67% of melamine by  — https://irgc.org/
31. The 2008 Chinese milk scandal was a significant food safety incident in China. The scandal involved Sanlu Group's milk and infant formula along with other food materials and components being adulterated with the chemical melamine, which resulted in kidney stones and other kidney damage in infants. The chemical was used to increase the nitrogen content of diluted milk, giving it the appearance of higher protein content in order to pass quality control testing. 300,000 affected children were ident — https://wikipedia.org/
32. (October 14 2008) Reported by Ms Melva CHEN, Scientific Officer, Risk Assessment Section, Centre for Food Safety. In September 2008, cases of kidney stones affecting infants who have consumed melamine-tainted infant formula were reported in the Mainland. Most of the cases in Gansu province were found to have consumed Sanlu infant formula for three to six months. Subsequently, the Mainland authority announced that a number of infant formulae made and sold in the Mainland were found to contain mel — https://cfs.gov.hk/