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China Kindergarten Owner Sentenced to Life for Poisoning 247 Children…

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 17, 2026•3 min read

The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court's first-instance verdict of 16 October 2026: Heshi Peixin kindergarten owner Li Huifang sentenced to life in prison, the executive principal to 15 years, and four kitchen workers to 6–8 years — for poisoning 247 children with lead-laden paint pigment.

Key Facts

The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Gansu Province handed down a first-instance verdict on Friday (16/10/2026) in the mass lead-poisoning case at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Maiji District, Tianshui, China.
Li Huifang, the actual controller of the kindergarten, was sentenced to life imprisonment with lifetime deprivation of political rights and confiscation of personal assets worth 500,000 yuan (about US$107,000), according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Executive principal Zhu Jinglin was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan (about US$65,000); four kitchen workers — Niu Aiyuan, Wen Yafang, He Xuxia and An Chunling — received six to eight years in prison.
All six defendants were found guilty of producing and selling toxic and harmful food; the court ruled the circumstances were 'especially serious'.
Li and Zhu instructed kitchen staff to mix toxic, inedible paint pigment containing lead into children's food to make it look more colorful and appealing, in an attempt to expand enrollment and boost profits.
The scandal broke in July 2025 when blood tests found 247 pupils and more than 20 staff members with abnormally high blood lead levels; CCTV footage showed chefs adding paint pigment to the food.
Investigators found the kindergarten's managers allegedly bribed local officials to alter the children's blood test results.
High lead exposure can permanently damage a child's brain and nervous system; a day before the verdict, the WHO warned that lead poisoning is one of the world's most serious yet overlooked environmental health threats.

Lanzhou Court Verdict

The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court in Gansu Province handed down a first-instance verdict on Friday (16/10/2026) in the mass lead-poisoning case at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Maiji District, Tianshui. Li Huifang, the actual controller of the kindergarten, was sentenced to life imprisonment with lifetime deprivation of political rights and confiscation of assets worth 500,000 yuan (about US$107,000), according to CCTV.

Executive principal Zhu Jinglin was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 300,000 yuan. Four kitchen workers received six to eight years in prison. All six defendants were found guilty of producing and selling toxic and harmful food; the court ruled the circumstances 'especially serious'.

Paint Pigment to Make Food Look Pretty

Li and Zhu instructed kitchen staff to mix toxic, inedible paint pigment containing lead into children's food to make it look more colorful and appealing — an attempt to expand enrollment and boost profits. Footage released by Chinese state media showed chefs adding the paint pigment.

The scandal broke in July 2025 when blood tests found 247 pupils and more than 20 staff members with abnormally, dangerously high blood lead levels. Investigators also found the kindergarten's managers allegedly bribed local officials to alter the children's blood test results.

Lead Dangers to Children's Brains

High lead exposure can permanently damage a child's brain and nervous system — especially dangerous for young children. A day before the verdict, the World Health Organization warned that lead poisoning is one of the world's most serious yet overlooked environmental health threats, with hundreds of millions of children affected globally.