A kindergarten teacher in central China has been sentenced to death after poisoning 25 children and killing one of them, CNN reports.

According to the Jiaozuo Intermediate People's Court in Henan province, the accused teacher is Wang Yun and Wang's actions stemmed from an argument with a fellow teacher at the Jiaozuo kindergarten over how best to deal with students.

The court went on to describe Weng's motives as "despicable" and "vicious" as she added nitrate to porridge intended for the other teacher's students. 

After the students ate the porridge, many got sick and had to be hospitalized, one student died. 

The disturbing incident occurred on March 27 of last year.

"She should be punished severely in accordance with the law," Monday's court ruling said.

Wang had previously been caught trying to poison her husband, in February 2017 after they'd quarreled. On that occasion, she also used nitrite and her husband suffered minor injuries.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nitrite is toxic and a likely carcinogen used in fertilizers, food preservation as well as munitions and explosives. At high levels, it can stop the human body from properly absorbing oxygen.