There is no telling what lengths unscrupulous people go through to scavenge more business. Out of alleged scheming, willful foul play and competition for students between rival kindergartens—two preschoolers have died in Pingshan county, Hebei province, China.
RELATED: Preschoolers hit by food poisoning
Sack of temptation
As reported, in a statement that the Pingshan county government issued, Ren Shuting and her two grandchildren found a bag on the way to school in Lianghe village. Upon closer inspection, the bag held notebooks and a bottle of yoghurt. The grandmother then took the bag home with her.
Later that afternoon when the two granddaughters returned from school on April 24, the unsuspecting kids drank up the yoghurt while grandma was cooking. Soon after, the girls were on the ground, twitching and foaming at the mouth due to the poisoning. The older girl passed on in the ambulance whereas the younger girl died after a week at the hospital.
RELATED: Dealing with food poisoning in kids
Deadly poison
Grandma had also taken a sip of the deadly yoghurt because her grandchildren had complained that it tasted bitter—she was also admitted to the hospital for a few days.
According to an official in Pingshan county, Yu Pengcheng revealed that a very strong poison for rats called tetramine was found in the yoghurt. Police investigations unraveled that people who worked for another kindergarten within the same county had left the poisoned yoghurt on the street for some unwitting victim to find.
Shi Haixia and Yang Wenming had already conceded that they had in fact infused deadly poison the yoghurt and left it on the street with the intention to mar the reputation of their rival kindergarten.
Keeping your children safe from deadly poison
Your children should be made aware of this case. There are quite a few things we can learn from this very sad incident. Here are some rules to establish at home.
1. Never under any circumstance pick up unknown objects to bring home.
2. Alert maids, relatives, friends, babysitters or anyone caring for your child about rule number 1.
3. Never consume any food or drink items left laying around.
4. Never accept food or drinks from strangers.
5. When something is too good to be true—it probably is. Don’t subject yourself “temptations” or freebies that seem dubious.
6. Ask your preschool or kindergarten about their safety procedures when it comes to food.
RELATED: Kindergarten stores food in toilet
7. Whenever anything tastes funny or if your kid suspects something amiss—stop drinking or eating instantly! Follow your gut feel.
8. Do a spot check during feeding times at your child’s preschool or school to see what goes on and what your child is being fed.
9. Keep all toxic substances locked away and far from food items at all times.
10. Be cautious when dealing with food items, read the tips on food safety below.
RELATED: 5 food safety tips to teach your children