The key facts
- In July 2025, 233 children at a kindergarten in Tianshui were found to have lead poisoning
- Owner Li Huifang was sentenced to life imprisonment, the director to 15 years
- 27 officials and medical workers were accused of falsifying blood test results
Life sentence for poisoning children
The owner of a private kindergarten in China has been sentenced to life imprisonment for poisoning the children with lead. This was reported by the portal Mothership, which Gazeta.Ru cites. The incident occurred at a kindergarten in the city of Tianshui, Gansu province: in July 2025, 233 children were found to have severe lead poisoning.
Paint in food for advertising
The investigation established that the owner of the institution, Li Huifang, gave the staff direct instructions to add toxic lead-containing industrial paint to the children's food — to improve the appearance of the dishes. Photos and videos of the food were used in the kindergarten's advertising.
Bribes and fake tests
According to the publication, the kindergarten management bribed local officials and medics who falsified blood test results, understating lead levels. Many parents were only able to realize what was happening to their children when they had them examined outside the province.
Verdicts for those involved in the case
The court sentenced the kindergarten owner to life imprisonment, and the director to 15 years in prison. The cooks who added the poison to the food received from six to eight years of imprisonment. In addition, 27 officials and medical workers who covered for Huifang found themselves in the dock.
