# Kindergarten owner jailed for lead poisoning of 247 children

> A Chinese kindergarten operator and staff were sentenced after serving food laced with toxic paint pigment to over 200 students, causing abnormally high blood lead levels.
- Title: Kindergarten owner jailed for lead poisoning of 247 children
- Summary: A Chinese kindergarten operator and staff were sentenced after serving food laced with toxic paint pigment to over 200 students, causing abnormally high…
- Keywords: heshi peixin kindergarten, li huifang, tianshui, gansu province, lead poisoning, food contamination, china, news, politics, Kindergarten, owner, jailed
- Source: Abc — https://abc.net.au/news/2026-10-17/kindergarten-staff-jailed-over-lead-poisoning-in-china/107278660
- Published: 2026-10-16T22:25:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: heshi peixin kindergarten, li huifang, tianshui, gansu province, lead poisoning, food contamination, china, news, politics
## Poisoning discovered at Chinese kindergarten
In July two thousand twenty-five, about two hundred forty-seven students and more than twenty staff at a kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels.
## Paint pigment added to children's food
Media reports said the kindergarten added inedible, lead-containing paint pigments to food for visual appeal, making the meals look brighter to the young children.
## Operator sentenced to life in prison
On Friday, the Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court found Li Huifang, who operated Heshi Peixin Kindergarten, guilty and sentenced her to life in prison.
## Other staff members also convicted
The court sentenced Zhu Jinglin, the kindergarten's executive principal, to fifteen years in jail with a three hundred thousand yuan fine.
## Key takeaway

Li Huifang, operator of Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, received a life sentence after staff added lead-containing paint pigment to food served to children in July two thousand twenty-five.