Kindergarten staff in China allegedly poisoned at least 200 children
Police in Tianshui City, Gansu province, China, have arrested staff at a private kindergarten, including the principal and an investor, after more than 200 children were found to have symptoms of lead poisoning.
The poisoning was discovered when parents noticed their young children experiencing unusual symptoms such as hair loss and darkened teeth.
According to ET Today, investigations revealed that staff of Peixin Kindergarten had used paint that was clearly labeled as not safe for consumption to decorate the children’s food.
Source: ET Today
Poisoning possibly started last year
Parents reported seeing these abnormal symptoms — including loss of appetite, nausea, and even bad breath — over the past six months.
The few parents who took their children to get tested at the hospital found high amounts of lead in their blood.
The revelation caused panic among other parents, which then escalated the case and prompted police to begin a criminal investigation last Thursday (3 July).
According to the South China Morning Post, tests reveal that 233 of the 251 children enrolled in the school had abnormal levels of lead in their system.
Additionally, several teachers also suffered from abnormal levels of lead.
Source: ET Today
Police conducted tests on more than 200 food samples, with two — the red date cake and the corn sausage rolls — failing the tests.
According to the BBC, those samples contained lead levels measuring more than 2,000 times the national safety limit.
Use of lead motivated by financial reasons
A state official said the kindergarten’s principal and an investor in the school approved the purchase and use of the paint.
The pair had wanted to use the paint to “attract more enrolments and increase profits”.
The principal then allegedly told school staff to purchase the paint online.
Police found the paint, which had been hidden, and observed that the labels clearly stated that it was not meant to be consumed.
Apart from the principal and the investor, police have arrested six canteen staff from the kindergarten.
Also read: School cafeteria in China collects students’ leftovers, then serves them to other pupils
School cafeteria in China collects students’ leftovers, then serves them to other pupils
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Featured image adapted from ET Today.
