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Baby Gear

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada, today announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. The recall involves approximately 1,213,000 units distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit. They should find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side.

The cribs' drop-side plastic hardware can break, deform, or parts can become missing. In addition, the drop-side can be installed upside-down, which can result in broken or disengaged plastic parts. All of these problems can cause the drop-side to detach in one or more corners. When the drop-side detaches, it creates space between the drop-side and the crib mattress. The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib.

CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft are aware of 110 incidents of drop-side detachment; 67 incidents occurred in the United States and 43 in Canada. The incidents include 15 entrapments; 12 in the U.S. and three in Canada. Four of the entrapments resulted in suffocation: a 7-month-old in Gouverneur, N.Y.; a 7-month-old in New Iberia, La.; a 6-month-old in Summersville, W.Va.; and a 9-month-old in Bronx, N.Y. Included in these incidents are 20 falls from cribs; 12 in the U.S. and eight in Canada. Fall injuries ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises. The cribs involved in these incidents had plastic drop-side hardware that had broken, missing, or deformed claws, connectors, tracks, or flexible tab stops; loose or missing metal spring clips; stripped screws; and/or drop-sides installed upside-down.

This recall involves Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. This recall does not involve any cribs that do not have a drop-side. This recall does not involve any cribs with metal rod drop-side hardware. It involves only those cribs with plastic trigger and one-hand-system drop-side hardware.

This recall includes Stork Craft cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between January 1993 and October 2009. This recall also includes Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo that have manufacturing dates between October 1997 and December 2004. The Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo were first sold in the U.S. in July 1998 and in Canada in September 1998. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. The manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm's name, address, and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm's insignia "storkcraft baby" or "storkling" is inscribed on the drop-side teething rail of some cribs. In Stork Craft cribs that contain the "Fisher-Price" logo, this logo can be found on the crib's teething rail, in the manufacturer's instructions, on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board, and on the end panels of the Twinkle-Twinkle and Crystal crib models.

Major retailers in the United States and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ's Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

The cribs were manufactured in Canada, China and Indonesia.

For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit, or log on to www.storkcraft.com. (11-30-09)

Name of Product: "Bobby Chupete" Pacifiers

Importer: Grand World Inc., of Maspeth, N.Y.

Hazard: The pacifiers fail to meet federal safety standards. The pacifier mouth guard is too small, posing a choking hazard to infants and toddlers. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves "Bobby Chupete" pacifiers. The pacifiers have a ring-shaped handle and heart-shaped mouth guard with two ventilation holes. The nipple is made of latex. "Bobby Chupete" and a picture of an infant are printed on the pacifier's packaging. The pacifier was sold in aqua, red, white or yellow colors.

Sold at: Various retail stores nationwide from November 2004 through July 2009 for about $1.

Remedy: Consumer should immediately take the recalled pacifiers away from infants and toddlers and contact Grand World for a refund or a replacement pacifier.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Grand World collect at (718) 326-7786 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.grandworldinc.com. (11-18-09)

Name of Product: Yayita Baby Hammocks

Distributor: Three Sisters Toys Inc., Neptune Beach, Fla.

Hazard: The hammock can flip over, posing a serious fall hazard and strangulation hazard to infants who become entrapped in the seat's restraint straps while upside down. No injuries or incidents have been reported.

Description: The recalled baby hammock is a cream-colored canvas and hangs from a wooden pole. The hammock measures about 29 x 43 inches. It has three restraint straps with red buckles and is attached to a cushioned pad for the infant. A mounting fixture, also called a fixing set, is sold with the hammock. "La Siesta" is printed on a tag located below the restraint straps. Model number YABN-1 is printed on a white tag sewn into the hammock's side seam.

Sold by: Three Sisters Toys online at www.threesisterstoys.com from December 2007 through July 2008 for about $100.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the baby hammock and return it to Three Sisters Toys to receive a full refund. The firm has contacted all known purchasers of this product.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Three Sisters Toys toll-free at (888) 537-9293 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.threesisterstoys.com. (11-18-09)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to immediately stop providing "My Baby Soother" pacifiers to their children. The pacifiers were distributed by T & L Trading Corp., of Brooklyn, N.Y. The pacifiers failed to meet federal safety standards because the nipples can separate from the base easily, posing a choking hazard to infants and toddlers.

CPSC is issuing this warning because T & L Trading has refused to recall these pacifiers. About 16,500 "My Baby Soother" pacifiers were sold at grocery stores, delis, and discount stores in Bronx, Brooklyn, Broadway, and Coney Island of New York from August 2007 through July 2009 for about $1.

The "My Baby Soother" pacifier has a ring-shaped handle and a blue, pink, red, white or yellow heart-shaped mouth guard with two ventilation holes. The nipple is made of either silicon or latex. The pacifier package has the words "My Baby Soother" printed on the top and a picture of an infant on the background.

Distributors and retailers who purchased the "My Baby Soother" pacifiers from T & L Trading should immediately stop distributing the pacifier and call CPSC. Consumers should immediately take the recalled pacifiers away from infants and toddlers and discard them. (11-09-09)

Name of Product: Maclaren Strollers

Distributor: Maclaren USA, Inc., of South Norwalk, Conn.

Hazard: The stroller's hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller's hinge mechanism, resulting in 12 reports of fingertip amputations in the United States.

Description: This recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers. The word "Maclaren" is printed on the stroller. The affected models included Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.

Sold at: Babies"R"Us, Target and other juvenile product and mass merchandise retailers nationwide from 1999 through November 2009 for between $100 and $360.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled strollers and contact Maclaren USA to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maclaren USA toll-free at (877) 688-2326 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.maclaren.us/recall. (11-09-09)

Name of Products: 2009 d'lite ST and Solo ST Child Trailers

Manufacturer: Burley Design LLC, of Eugene, Ore.

Hazard: The axle assembly's internal sleeve can loosen, causing one wheel to separate from the trailer. This poses a risk of injury to the child occupant or bike rider. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled products are two-wheeled child trailers designed to carry one or two children behind a bicycle. Only the 2009 d'lite ST and 2009 Solo ST trailers with serial numbers that begin with D939 or D948 are included in the recall. The serial number is located in the rear cargo area behind the seat on the lower left rear frame tube. The trailers have "d'lite ST" or "solo ST" screen printed on the cover.

Sold by: Independent bicycle retailers and specialty outdoor retailers nationwide and on various web sites from November 2008 through June 2009 for between $550 and $600.

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the trailer immediately and contact Burley to receive a free repair kit or to locate a retailer to assist with the free repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Burley at (800) 311-5294 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.burley.com/STProductRecall. (9-02-09)

Name of Product: Baby Jogger City Mini Strollers

Distributor: Baby Jogger LLC, of Richmond, Va.

Hazard: The stroller's restraint buckle could break or unlatch, allowing the child or infant to fall out. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Baby Jogger City Mini single and double strollers. "City Mini" is printed on the stroller. Item numbers and date codes included in this recall are listed in the chart below along with stroller colors. The item number is printed on a sticker on the rear wheel crossbar. The manufacturing date code is engraved on the frame behind the rear wheel axle crossbar or on the back of the frame on the upright bar between the right rear wheel and the seat. The item numbers, color and manufacturing date codes can be found here.

Sold at: Juvenile products stores, mass merchandisers and department stores nationwide and on various Web sites including www.amazon.com from November 2007 through July 2009 for between $220 and $400.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Baby Jogger to receive a free replacement restraint buckle and installation instructions.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Baby Jogger at 877-506-2213 between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET or visit the firm's Web site at www.babyjogger.com. (9-02-09)

Name of Product: eebee's "Have a Ball" Adventures Cloth Books

Importer: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc, of New York, N.Y.

Hazard: A string attaching a ball to the book can become entangled in the basketball hoop element, posing a strangulation hazard to young children. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the eebee's "Have a Ball" Adventure cloth book. This interactive activity book has a small cloth ball attached to a string that children use to complete activities in the book. The books are intended for children ages 9 to 36 months. ISBN 13:978-1-4027-5771-6 is located on a white tag attached to the book. Other eebee's Adventures cloth books are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Book and toy stores nationwide and Internet retailers from June 2008 through June 2009 for about $15.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the book away from children, and return the product to the place of purchase for a refund.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. at (800) 367-9692 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. (9-02-09)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is once again urging all parents and caregivers to immediately stop using convertible "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper" bassinets manufactured by Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa. CPSC has learned of two additional infant deaths since the August 2008 safety alert and recall announcements that notified consumers of two infants who had strangled in their Simplicity bassinets. To date, CPSC is aware of four infants who have died in the close-sleeper bassinets.

CPSC learned that in September 2008, a 2-month-old female in Demorest, Ga., suffocated when she rolled into the adjustable fabric siding of the bassinet, pressing her face into a "pocket" that formed near the Velcro fasteners. In another incident in January 2009, a 6-month-old female in Fort Worth, Texas, appears to have been fatally entrapped in the bassinet's bar opening created when the Velcro fasteners were not secured. An investigation into this infant's death is ongoing.

In addition, CPSC has received two separate reports involving a 10-week-old and a 3-month-old whose heads became entrapped between the lower bassinet bar and the mattress support. The infants were freed by their caregivers without injury.

The Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible bassinets, including bassinets with the Graco logo and "Winnie the Pooh" motif licensed by Disney Consumer Products, contain metal bars that are covered by an adjustable fabric flap. This fabric flap is secured by Velcro fasteners, which are intended to be partially removed when the bassinet is converted into the bedside/close-sleeper mode. If the Velcro fasteners are not properly re-secured when the fabric flap is adjusted, or if the consumer entirely removes the fabric flap exposing the metal bars, an infant can slip through the opening between the lower metal bar and the mattress support and become entrapped and suffocate or strangle. Consumers are urged to check their bassinets to ensure they are not using one of the recalled Simplicity bassinets.

Parents and caregivers are advised to return these bassinets to the retail store where they were purchased. All of the recalled bassinets can pose a danger to infants.

To determine whether your bassinet has been recalled, please check for the model number and the manufacture date code. Bassinets manufactured prior to 21st week of 2008, "2108" (before May 18) are recalled. The model numbers for recalled bassinets manufactured prior to "2108" and the retailers can be found here.

Due to the life-threatening hazard these bassinets pose to infants, CPSC urges all consumers to share this safety warning with friends, family, daycare centers and consignment stores to ensure that no child is placed to sleep in a Simplicity convertible bassinet covered by this warning.

SFCA Inc., the Reading, Pa.-based company that purchased the assets of juvenile product manufacturer Simplicity Inc. after foreclosure, no longer appears to be conducting day-to-day operations. SFCA Inc. is no longer answering phone calls or responding to e-mails from consumers. (9-02-09)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced its Top Ten list of recalled children's products as part of the agency's "Resale Round-up" campaign. CPSC's goal is to protect consumers by getting dangerous recalled products out of resale stores and off the Internet. Re-selling recalled products is a violation of federal law.

Before re-selling products, CPSC encourages re-sellers to check its Web site, www.cpsc.gov, to determine if the product has been recalled.

"Those who re-sell recalled children's products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children's lives at risk," says CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Resale stores should make safety their business and check for recalled products and hazards to children."

A CPSC study conducted in 1999 found that nearly 70 percent of resale stores sold at least one recalled or otherwise hazardous product.

CPSC is partnering with the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops (NARTS), the Salvation Army, state agencies and others to alert re-sellers about recalled products, product hazards including cribs that do not meet current safety standards, drawstrings in children's clothing and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

"NARTS fully supports CPSC's outreach efforts to resale stores," says Adele Meyer, NARTS' Executive Director. "Our members are resale professionals committed to product safety who believe good value and selling safe products go hand in hand."

The agency's education campaign, which will include safety seminars for resale store owners and employees, is part of CPSC's commitment to protecting consumers, especially children.

CPSC's Internet surveillance team is monitoring online retailers and auction sites for sales of recalled and hazardous products. Re-sellers are reminded that they must comply with the federal law, which will be enforced for in-store and online sales.

CPSC has released a new "Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Re-sellers" to help resellers comply with the law. It can be found at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf or can be ordered by calling CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772.

CPSC's Top Ten list of recalled children's products can be found here. (8-07-09)