Police investigate kindergarten poisoning case after two children die

Local police are investigating the source of the rat poison that killed two children in a kindergarten in Southwest China's Yunnan Province on Wednesday.

Five children who were left in critical condition in the food poisoning case in Jiajia Kindergarten in Pinglong village, Qiubei county, were out of danger on Friday, local authorities said.

Thirty-two children showed symptoms of possible food poisoning at around 3:20 pm in the kindergarten. They were taken to a local hospital.

Two girls, aged 4 and 5, died and five were in critical condition on Wednesday.

Initial investigation results from local police said that tetramine, a banned neurotoxic rodenticide, caused the food poisoning.

Investigators found the toxic substance in snacks brought to Jiajia Kindergarten by a student who shared the food with other children, said Zhao Minjian, an official in charge of media communication with the Qiubei county government.

The sources of the rat poison and which snacks were poisoned are not yet known, and police are still looking into it, China National Radio reported.

He Chaohui, an owner of a kindergarten about 500 meters from the Jiajia Kindergarten, was taken away for investigation, The Beijing News reported.

Global Times - Xinhua