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CPSC Recalls Millions of Baby Cribs

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a voluntary recall of baby cribs which pose strangulation and suffocation hazards. Approximately 635,000 baby cribs made by Dorel Asia have been recalled because the drop side hardware can fail and trap the infant in the opening between the drop side and the crib. A six month old child from Cedar Rapids, Iowa was entrapped and died due to strangulation thereby prompting this recall. Several other incidents were reported in which children received bruises and scratches as a result of entrapment. These cribs were sold at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Sears from January 2005 to December 2009 and sold for between $120 and $700. The CPSC has issued a warning to parents and caregivers. Tighten the hardware occasionally to make sure the crib is sturdy. Also, check any moving parts, especially drop sides, to ensure that they operate smoothly. The CPSC notes to check sides and corners such that there are no gaps that may entrap a child. Also, the CPSC strongly warns not to repair the sides of the crib, especially with duct tape, wire, or rope. In the past, other major recalls for cribs were issued by the CPSC including 985,000 Delta Enterprise drop side cribs. Also, 2.1 million Stork Craft drop side cribs, some under the Fisher-Price logo, have been recalled. Several issues have been noted such as broken claw attachment pieces and upside down installation of the drop side. The manufacturer will issue a repair kit for these cribs and users are urged to stop using these units. Stork Craft cribs are distributed in the USA and Canada and were sold at major retailers such as BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, K-mart, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com . Many of these cribs have the terms storkcraft baby and storkling on the drop side teething rail.

It is important to look for little gaps in which infants can get stuck by performing a careful inspection of the hardware. Importantly, children can slide in between the mattress area and the movable drop side of the crib. Make sure the children cannot slip into this area. This helps ensure safety for the child and peace of mind for caregivers and parents. The role of the CPSC is to oversee hazard identification, safety standards, compliance and enforcement, public outreach, and intergovernmental cooperation relating to consumer product-related injuries. The crib recall is voluntary with cooperation of the manufacturer. The manufacturer will issue fixes and consumers are urged to stop using the recalled cribs until replacement kits are installed. Contact the CPSC for further information to assist you with the recall.

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