Justice · Kindergarten lead poisoningChina Kindergarten Operator Gets Life for Serving Toxic Food to ChildrenAired October 18, 2026 at 1:38 AM UTCWritten October 18, 2026 at 1:42 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07A kindergarten served sausage rolls containing 1,340 milligrams of lead per0:12kilogram.0:12The operator has received a life sentence, and five others are going to prison.0:17More than 200 children were affected.0:19The case exposes how toxic pigment entered everyday meals, and how medical0:24safeguards failed to stop the exposure.0:26Heshi, Payson kindergarten, served the meals in Tian Shui's Maiji district in Gansu0:31Province.0:32Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court sentenced the six defendants on October 16,0:362026.0:37All were convicted of producing and selling toxic or harmful food.0:41The court found that operator Lif Huifeng and executive principal Zhu Jinglin0:46directed or arranged for kitchen workers to add toxic non-food ingredients.0:50Children and employees ate the food.0:52The court described the circumstances as particularly serious.0:55Lily received life imprisonment and lost her political rights for life.0:59The court ordered confiscation of 500,000 yuan in personal property.1:04Zhu received 15 years in prison and a separate 300,000 yuan fine.1:09The four kitchen workers are Niu Aiyuan, Wen Yafang, He Zhuxia, and N Chunling.1:14Their prison terms range from six to eight years, and each received a fine.1:18The court announcement gives the range without assigning an individual term or fine1:22amount to each worker.1:23Zhu wanted brighter-looking meals to attract students.1:26Provincial investigators traced that decision to early 2024.1:30Li agreed.1:31A cook was told to buy pigment, and photographs and videos of the food circulated1:35for promotion.1:36He Zhuxia bought pigment online on April 23rd, 2024, and again on February 20,1:422025.1:43The purchases included 1,200 grams of yellow, 1,000 grams of red, and 900 grams1:49of green.1:50Yellow and red cost 6.12 yuan per 100 grams.1:54Green cost 6.88 yuan.1:57The packaging explicitly warned that the pigments weren't edible.2:00Ni Yu and Wen mixed them into flour for corn sausage rolls and three color red date2:05steamed cakes.2:06From May 2024 until the incident, These foods were served about six times a month.2:11Children and staff received those meals.2:13That frequency doesn't tell us how much any one person ate.2:16When police entered the kindergarten on July 1st, 2025, he and Anne hid the2:20remaining pigments.2:22Police recovered them two days later: 458 grams of red, 57 grams of yellow, and2:28444 grams of green.2:29The national food limit was half a milligram of lead per kilogram.2:34A retained breakfast cake contained 1052 milligrams per kilogram.2:38A retained dinner sausage roll contained 1,340.2:42These measurements describe lead in the food.2:44Investigators also checked other possible sources.2:47They sampled 93 batches at the kindergarten, including 19 retained meal batches and2:5336 ingredient batches.2:55Apart from those two foods, the retained meals met national lead limits.2:59All 36 ingredient batches met them too.3:02Two drinking water batches met the cited standards.3:05Investigators also found the surrounding air, surface water, groundwater, and soil3:10within environmental standards.3:11Their survey identified no lead pollution, supporting the investigation's focus on3:16the added pigments.3:17Air lead measured between 0.006 and 0.026 micrograms per cubic meter.3:23Groundwater lead wasn't detected.3:25Two soil measurements were 24.6 and 27.6 milligrams per kilogram below the relevant3:30screening level.3:31Those results describe the places and samples examined.3:34All 251 enrolled children had been tested by July 7th, 2025.3:39The initial announcement counted 233 abnormal blood lead results and 18 normal3:44results.3:44Later coverage described 247 preschoolers as poisoned, a count 14 higher.3:49Nobody has explained how those two totals fit together.3:53An abnormal test and a poisoning diagnosis describe different things, and the court3:57announcement doesn't give a final medical breakdown.4:00The children's individual severity and lasting effects remain unclear.4:04Seven kindergarten children had already shown abnormal blood lead at Tianxui Second4:08People's Hospital.4:09Between May 2024 and June 2025, investigators found that two children's results were4:14altered downward.4:15The other five children's reports weren't altered.4:18One blood lead result changed from 292.37 to 42.37 micrograms4:24per liter.4:25Another changed from 440.14 to 103.4:28These were alterations to blood test results, separate from the lead concentrations4:32measured in food.4:33One child first tested abnormal in November 2024, then had five further abnormal4:39results within six months.4:40The hospital failed to connect the seven cases or warn the kindergarten.4:43Investigators found poor management, weak laboratory quality control, and inadequate4:47training.4:47Staff changed results directly instead of carrying out required repeat testing.4:51The Provincial Disease Control Agency's blood lead data were also seriously4:55distorted, with procedural violations and tampering identified.4:5917 people were placed under disciplinary investigation.5:02Another 10 officials faced accountability proceedings.5:05Over failures of oversight.5:07The 17 included 12 hospital and disease control personnel, plus five others.5:11Among those five were Maiji Education Bureau Director He Shu and Market Regulation5:15Bureau Director Zhang Haibin.5:17A provincial team formed on July 12th brought together health, education, police,5:21and other authorities with national experts and central food safety supervision.5:25Six arrests announced that July led to the six kindergarten defendants now5:29convicted.5:30The separate official accountability proceedings have their own outcomes still to5:34come.5:34The judgment against the kindergarten defendants was issued at first instance, and5:39no appeal decision has been announced.5:40Tian Shui approved a treatment and support plan on July 20, 2025.5:45It promised timely care and rehabilitation, priority medical resources treatment5:50guided by national experts and psychological consultation.5:53Its commitment was to ensure everyone needing treatment received it.5:56The eligibility groups included 251 enrolled children, 48 children who graduated in6:012024 and 29 staff.6:03The attendance period ran from April 23rd, 2024 through June 30, 2025.6:07Coverage applied to incident-related abnormal blood lid and subsequent treatment,6:11rehabilitation, and education.6:13The plan also promised financial and education support, along with legal services.6:18Designated officials were to coordinate care, explain policy, record family6:22requests, and maintain contact.6:24A rights protection service center was prescribed within the Maiji District6:28Education Bureau.6:29Maiji District was assigned primary responsibility with a dedicated team and6:33detailed implementation rules.6:34Municipal departments were directed to coordinate, strengthen routine supervision,6:38and build longer-term prevention.6:40The kindergarten was placed under temporary management by Tian Shui Experimental6:43Kindergarten.6:44The sentences fix criminal responsibility for serving the toxic food.6:48Families still face unresolved medical and financial consequences.6:51The children's long-term outcomes, the assistance actually delivered, and any6:55compensation paid haven't been made clear.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗