Li Huifang, the owner of Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, China, has been sentenced to life in prison. The conviction stems from her role in producing and selling toxic and harmful food, which led to the poisoning of 247 pupils and staff at her facility.
The incident, which became public in July 2025, revealed that victims had abnormally high blood lead levels. This severe case highlights critical failures in food safety and oversight within educational institutions.
The Intentional Contamination
The Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court found that Li Huifang, alongside executive principal Zhu Jinglin, deliberately instructed kitchen staff to incorporate inedible paint into meals. This directive was given with the intention of “enhancing the look” of the food, despite clear warnings on the paint’s labeling that it was unsuitable for consumption.
Food samples, specifically red date cakes and corn sausage rolls, were later analyzed. These items were found to contain lead levels up to 2,000 times higher than China‘s national food safety limit, underscoring the extreme danger posed by the contaminated meals. Reports from the BBC detailed the shocking extent of the lead contamination.
Sentences for Those Involved
Beyond Li Huifang’s life sentence, other individuals connected to the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten also received significant penalties. Zhu Jinglin, the nursery’s executive principal, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay a 300,000-yuan fine.
Four additional kitchen employees at the kindergarten were also implicated. Their sentences ranged from six to eight years in prison, reflecting their roles in the preparation and distribution of the toxic food. The court’s rulings aimed to hold all responsible parties accountable for the widespread harm caused.
Financial Repercussions and Broader Impact
In addition to the prison sentence, the Lanzhou Intermediate People’s Court ordered the confiscation of 500,000 yuan (approximately $74,700 USD or £56,200 GBP) of Li Huifang’s personal assets. This financial penalty serves as a further consequence of her criminal actions.
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The case has drawn international attention, raising concerns about food safety regulations and enforcement in educational settings. It underscores the critical importance of stringent oversight to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children, from such deliberate acts of harm. The South China Morning Post covered the legal proceedings and their implications.
Parents gathered. Authorities investigated. Justice was sought.
Life.
Sources
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