Key facts
- Li Huifang, owner of Heshi Peixin Kindergarten, received a life sentence and a 500,000 yuan fine.
- Kindergarten principal Zhu Jinglin was jailed for 15 years and fined 300,000 yuan.
- Four kitchen staff members received sentences of six to eight years.
- Over 200 children and dozens of staff members were found to have high blood lead levels.
- Toxic substances, including lead-containing pigments, were added to food for visual appeal.
Li Huifang, the operator of the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, has been sentenced to life in prison for her role in a lead poisoning scandal that affected over 200 children. The Lanzhou Intermediate People's Court also ordered the confiscation of her assets worth approximately 500,000 yuan ($74,780).
On Friday, October 16, 2026, the court found that Li and the kindergarten's executive principal, Zhu Jinglin, had instructed four kitchen workers to add toxic, lead-containing substances to food served to children and staff to enhance its visual appeal. Zhu Jinglin received a 15-year prison sentence and a 300,000 yuan fine, while the four kitchen staff members were jailed for six to eight years.
In July 2025, 247 children and 28 staff members at the kindergarten were found to have abnormally high blood lead levels. This incident is considered one of China's most severe food safety scandals in nearly two decades. Treatment has been provided to the affected children, with experts noting an average 40.21 percent reduction in blood lead levels following the first course of treatment.