Kindergarten Teacher in China Gets Death Sentence for Poisoning 25 Students with Laced Porridge

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A former kindergarten teacher has been sentenced to death by a Chinese court for purposely poisoning 25 children, killing one of them.

The Jiaozuo Intermediate People's Court in Henan province issued its ruling on Monday, calling Wang Yun's actions "despicable" and "vicious," noting "she should be punished severely in accordance with the law."

The fatal poisoning happened in March of 2019, PEOPLE confirms.

Prior to tainting porridge for students with nitrite, Wang had an argument with another teacher at a kindergarten in Jiaozuo. The dispute, according to officials, centered around how best to handle the students.

Nitrite is a toxic carcinogen that, in high concentrations, can render the blood unable to carry oxygen through the body.

Wang poisoned porridge supplied by the school that was earmarked for the other teacher's students.

Police said she purchased the nitrite online.

"Wang Yun knew that sodium nitrite was harmful to the human body, but in order to retaliate against others, she administered sodium nitrite twice," the ruling reads, noting her actions caused "many innocent young children to be poisoned after eating" the porridge.

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All told, 23 students sustained slight injuries, and one died. The poisoning caused several of the children to vomit.

The ruling did provide any details about the slain child, and does not provide Wang's age.

″Wang Yun's criminal motives are despicable ... and she should be punished severely in accordance with the law," the ruling reads.

Authorities allege Wang previously attempted to poison her husband, but was unsuccessfully in 2017 after pouring nitrite into the man's glass.