BEIJING , China ( CNN ) -- An executive of the Chinese dairy company Sanlu Group pleaded guilty Wednesday over her role in the contaminated milk scandal that sickened nearly 300,000 infants , state-run media reported . A salesgirl arranges powdered milk in China 's Sichuan province in September . Tian Wenhua , Sanlu 's former board chairwoman and general manager , and three other executives are on trial for producing and selling fake or substandard products , according to Xinhua news agency . Wenhua , 66 , pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial at a court in Shijiazhuang , the capital of northern Hebei Province , Xinhua reported . She told the court that she first received tainted milk complaints from consumers in mid-May -- four months before the issue became widely known -- according to the report . Wenhua led a working team to investigate the claims , Xinhua reported . The three other executives are former deputy general managers Wang Yuliang and Hang Zhiqi , and Wu Jusheng , a former executive heading Sanlu 's milk division . Chinese investigators found melamine in nearly 70 milk products from more than 20 companies , according to quality control official Li Changjiang , who was eventually forced to resign . The Ministry of Health has said the contamination likely caused the deaths of at least six babies . Another 294,000 infants suffered from urinary problems , such as kidney stones . The tainted formula came to light in September after babies who were fed milk powder produced by the Sanlu Group , which recently filed for bankruptcy , had developed kidney stones . Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates , wood adhesives , fabric coatings , ceiling tiles and flame retardants . Some Chinese dairy plants added the chemical to milk products so they would appear to have a higher protein level . Prior to the four Sanlu executives , at least eight people stood trial over charges of producing , adding melamine-laced `` protein powder '' to milk or selling the tainted milk to Sanlu or other dairies . Victims of tainted baby formula are expected to be compensated by the 22 Chinese dairy producers that made the milk . `` The enterprises offered to shoulder the compensation liability , '' the country 's Dairy Industry Association said Saturday , according to Xinhua . `` By doing so , they hope to earn understanding and forgiveness of the families of the sickened children . '' The group said victims will receive a one-off cash payment , but did not provide the amounts , according to Xinhua . `` The money for compensation is in place now and will soon be handed to the people who have custody of the sickened children through various channels , '' the association said . No date for the payments was given . The dairies also raised money to cover medical bills for any after-effects suffered as a result of the poisoning , the association said .
Zhang Wenhua , former Sanlu chairwoman and general manager , pleads guilty . Former Sanlu executives accused of producing and selling substandard products . Scandal revealed after babies using baby powder developed kidney stones . Victims of tainted baby formula to be compensated by 22 Chinese pharmaceutical firms .