DAYCARE OWNER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR POISONING CHILDREN

BEIJING, OCTOBER 17 /SRNA/ - Daycare owner Li Huifang and five members of her staff in the city of Tianshui, in China’s Gansu Province, have been sentenced to prison after it was discovered that they had caused the poisoning of more than 200 children, Chinese media reported today.

Huifang, who ran the Hexi Peixin daycare center, was sentenced to life in prison for producing and selling poisonous and harmful food.

In July last year, elevated blood lead levels were detected in 247 children and staff members at the daycare center.

The investigation found that the daycare’s cooks had used non-edible paint "to enhance the appearance" of the meals and attract more children to the center, despite a warning on the paint’s packaging.

In addition to the prison sentence, the confiscation of the convicted owner’s personal assets worth $74,700 was ordered.

Daycare director Zhi Jinglin was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined. The four other kitchen staff members received prison sentences ranging from six to eight years.

The court found that they had received instructions from Huifang and Jinglin to add toxic and harmful substances to the food served to children and staff.

Subsequent tests showed that the food contained lead at levels 2,000 times higher than the permitted limit.