{
  "id": 15191742,
  "title": "Nursery owner in China jailed for life after hundreds of children poisoned",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/nursery-owner-in-china-jailed-for-life-after-hundreds-of-children",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T12:11:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC World",
    "slug": "bbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqe9lx54g7x9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Li Huifang, the owner of the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, China, has been sentenced to life in prison for poisoning over 200 children with lead-tainted food, according to Chinese state media. The nursery was found to have served meals containing inedible paint and lead levels 2,000 times above the national safety limit. Five members of her staff, including nursery executive principal Zhi Jinglin, were also jailed for their roles in adding toxic ingredients to the food. The investigation began after 235 children fell ill from lead poisoning after consuming steamed red date cakes and sausage corn buns. The incident prompted China to impose strict guidelines for campus meal provision, including mandatory testing for every new batch of food and restrictions on purchasing ingredients.",
  "summary": "She and five staff members were found to have used the inedible paint in meals to make them look more appealing.",
  "key_points": [
    "Li Huifang sentenced to life in prison for lead-tainted food poisoning",
    "Five staff members jailed for adding toxic ingredients to meals",
    "China imposes strict guidelines after 235 children fell ill"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Island Sri Lanka",
        "title": "Nursery owner in China jailed for life after hundreds of children poisoned",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/nursery-owner-in-china-jailed-for-life-after-hundreds-of-children-15239664",
        "published": "2026-10-17T15:41:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}