A Chinese kindergarten owner has been sentenced to life in prison for poisoning 247 children with toxic lead compounds added to their food, a court in Gansu Province has heard.
Li Huifang was found guilty of instructing staff at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Lanzhou to put harmful substances into meals to make them look more appealing in promotional materials.
The Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court handed down the sentences on Friday after the scandal prompted widespread outrage in China and drew international attention.
Li’s personal assets, valued at about 500,000 yuan, were also confiscated. The kindergarten’s principal, Zhu Jinglin, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan.
Four kitchen workers involved in adding the substances were jailed for between six and eight years, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The court found that Li and Zhu had directed the staff to add the toxic compounds to food eaten by children and other kindergarten employees.
Children found to have high lead levels
The case came to light in July 2025, when a provincial investigation found abnormally high blood lead levels in 247 pupils and more than 20 members of staff at the kindergarten.
The inquiry began after several children developed symptoms associated with heavy metal toxicity, including stomach pain, fatigue and developmental delays. Local media reported that inedible, lead-containing pigments had been added to food to improve its appearance.
High levels of lead exposure can harm a developing child’s brain and nervous system. Exposure can occur through paint, cookware, cosmetics, industrial contamination and food products.
The day before the sentencing, the World Health Organisation said hundreds of millions of children worldwide were exposed to lead and called on countries to do more to prevent contact with the toxic metal.
“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.
