The owner of a kindergarten in northwest China has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of poisoning 247 children.
Li Huifang, along with five additional staff members, has been jailed for feeding the children in her care toxic lead compounds, added to food for a more appealing appearance in promotional materials.
The Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Gansu Province delivered the sentences on Friday following a scandal that sparked outrage across the country and made headlines around the world.
In July 2025, 247 students and more than 20 staff members of Heshi Peixin Kindergarten were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels following a provincial investigation launched when many students began showing abnormal symptoms consistent with heavy metal toxicity, such as stomach pain, fatigue and developmental delays.
Local media reports said the school was adding inedible, lead-containing pigments to the food for visual appeal.
The court found the kindergarten’s owner and principal had indeed instructed four kitchen staff to add harmful substances to the food consumed by young children and other kindergarten staff.
Huifang has had her personal assets worth about 500,000 yuan (A$107,000) confiscated on top of her life sentence.
The kindergarten’s principal Zhu Jinglin was sentenced to 15 years in jail as well as being slapped with a fine of 300,000 yuan (A$65,000).
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the four kitchen workers were jailed for six to eight years for their involvement in the crime.
High levels of lead exposure can damage a developing child’s brain and nervous system.
The day before the sentencing, the World Health Organisation said hundreds of millions of children are exposed to lead internationally, urging nations to do more to prevent exposure and protect children.
“Lead poisoning is one of the world’s most serious yet overlooked environmental health threats,” Bruce Gordon, head of the WHO’s environment department, said on Thursday.
Exposure often occurs through paint, cookware, cosmetics, industrial contamination, or food products.