Three children die in mass poisonings ( 2003-11-16 10:10) (China Daily)
A total of three schoolchildren have died and 46 others have fallen ill in
two separate food poisoning cases in Central China recently, according to local
police.
In Hunan Province, a farmer deliberately poisoned food yesterday,
leaving two pupils dead and 25 others hospitalized. The incident followed
another on Tuesday night, in which one primary school student died and 21 others
fell ill in Hubei Province.
In the first case, farmer Wei Entan, from Nanjiang town in Pingjiang county
of Hunan, allegedly went to Daxing and Simei primary schools in the county and
gave poisoned popcorn and citrus to Yu Yuanfang in Daxing School, and to Yu
Xueling in Simei School. He allegedly told them to share the treats with fellow
pupils.
After they ate the poisonous food, 27 schoolchildren immediately fell sick
and were sent to the hospital. However, Yu Yuanfang and Xu Dujiang, from Simei
School, died on the way to hospital.
The suspect Wei allegedly tried to escape by bus but was stopped halfway by
the police. They said Wei attempted to commit suicide by drinking poison. He
collapsed when caught and was rushed to a local hospital.
The police said the motives for the poisoning were not yet known.
In the other food poisoning case in Hubei, 22 students fell ill on Tuesday
night after they had their supper in the dining hall of the Nigou Central
Elementary School in Jingyang town.
The school immediately sent the poisoned students to a local hospital. He
Yinying, a fifth-grade student, died on Wednesday morning of respiratory
failure. According to the school authorities, the girl was very weak due to
diarrhoea and stomach trouble before the poisoning.
The police said the cause of the poisoning was likely mouldy corn in the
food, and authorities are still investigating the case.
