Woman dies after eating contaminated food

A 72-year-old woman died after eating mixed rice containing a highly toxic compound at a community center in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, police said Sunday.

She was one of six elderly residents who ate the rice at the center and all of them suffered stomachaches afterwards.

Police sent the leftover food to the National Forensic Service for examination and the institute found methomyl, a deadly compound used in insecticide.

Police are investigating the circumstances of how the deadly chemical got into the food. They haven’t ruled out the possibility of treachery in adding the poisonous substance to the rice.