Dangerous and Defective Cribs, Bassinets, and Play Yards Linked to Scores of Infant Deaths, Injuries
Each year, thousands of cribs, bassinets, and portable play yards are recalled due to defects that pose risks of strangulation, entrapment, and death to children. Faulty design of drop-side cribs, incomplete or confusing instructions for assembling the beds, and other defects are to blame for these tragic incidents.
Most often, the defective condition consists of an opening between the side of the infant bed and the mattress or padding that is large enough for children to get their head, neck, arms, or legs trapped. In other cases, defective cribs or bassinets may suddenly collapse or fold in on themselves, injuring and even killing children playing or sleeping inside.
Children have suffered devastating head injuries, broken bones, and other serious injuries due to defective cribs and similar products.
Millions of Simplicity Cribs Recalled After Dozens of Deaths
In the past year, nearly two million cribs made by Simplicity Inc. have been recalled due to reports of infants becoming trapped in the beds. In July 2009, the company recalled about 400,000 cribs after a Texas baby died after becoming trapped in between the side and the mattress of one of the beds. That recall followed earlier recalls of 600,000 cribs in September 2008 and about one million beds due to the strangulation and suffocation risks.
But Simplicity, which has since gone out of business, is not alone in recalling dangerously defective cribs, bassinets, or play yards. Jardine, Bonavita, and other major manufacturers of the children’s products have also announced their own recalls after scores of reports of children becoming trapped, strangled, or suffocated in the beds.
Helping Prevent Tragedies
Sadly, most of these severe injuries and deaths are entirely avoidable. Manufacturers that fail to abide by industry safety guidelines for the products or include incomplete or confusing instructions or parts with the products contribute to the problem. Only by holding these companies legally responsible for the deaths and injuries they cause will they be encouraged to improve their efforts to produce safer cribs, bassinets, and play yards.
Related posts:
- Dorel Play Yards Recalled Due to Suffocation Hazard Over the holiday break, many consumers may have missed the...
- 2.1 Million Stork Craft/Fisher-Price Drop-Side Cribs Recalled Due to Suffocation Deaths, Injuries More than 2.1 million drop-side cribs made by Stork Craft...
- Two Additional Infant Deaths Prompt Re-announcement of Simplicity “Close-Sleeper/Bedside Sleeper” Bassinets The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is once again...
- One Million Defective Kolcraft Play Yards Recalled Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. today is recalling about one million of...
- Makers of Drop-Side Cribs Propose Ban After Years of Infant Deaths, Injuries, and Recalls Cribs with drop-sides may soon be a thing of the...
