Madigan urges manufacturers to halt production of potentially harmful crib padding

Last month, Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a warning to parents and caregivers of infants and small children about crib bumpers. The pillow-like lining used to keep baby’s head away from the sides of the crib can pose serious risks of injury and death due to suffocation or strangulation.

On Wednesday, Madigan called on the national industry trade group overseeing manufacturers of crib bumpers, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), to push for a halt to the production and sale of bumper pads across the country.

Danger posed

Madigan said babies could be hurt or killed by their crib bumpers in any number of ways: rolling against it, pressing their faces against it, wedging their heads between the pad and the mattress or crib side, or getting the tie that secures the bumper to the crib wrapped around their necks.

“The JPMA and its manufacturers cannot sit by and wait for regulators to decide how, and if, crib bumpers should be used,” Madigan said. “Their disregard for the danger posed by these products creates a very real danger.”

Back in December, the Attorney General alerted parents and caregivers to the hazards bumpers pose and urged them to remove these products from their homes to prevent tragedy.

She also sent a letter to the JPMA urging the group to take immediate action to address bumper hazards with its manufacturer members.

Madigan demanded then that the JPMA release results of a study it commissioned to investigate the dangers of crib bumpers.

The study has yet to be published as the JPMA internally reviews the report.

Production halt demanded

As a result of JPMA’s inaction, the AG is calling on the group to halt production and sale of bumpers while the Consumer Product Safety Commission analyzes the products’ appropriate use, if any at all.

According to Madigan, the JPMA has failed to appropriately respond in light of these deaths.

“One infant death due to bumper pad use is too many. We must act now to remove bumpers from store shelves, stop production and work to educate caregivers to this threat,” Madigan said.

Since 2008, the National Center for Child Death Review has received reports of 14 infants who have died from suffocation caused by crib bumpers.

Mobilizing

Last month, Madigan partnered with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kids in Danger, the American SIDS Institute, SIDS of Illinois and the Canadian Health Department to alert caregivers to this danger.

Madigan urged parents and caregivers to take the time to review her Rest Assured Guide to determine whether they have other dangerous children’s items that have been recalled in their homes.

The  guide provides information to consumers about cribs or other sleep-related items for children from 2007 to date. To obtain a copy of the guide, call the Attorney General’s Product Recall Hotline at 1-888-414-7678 (TTY: 1-800-964-3013).

Feds acknowledge faster response is warranted

By James Limbach of ConsumerAffairs

The 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, is just the latest in a series of actions involving children's products this year.

In January, Stork Craft announced the recall of more than 500,000 cribs. And this past summer, Simplicity announced it was recalling more than 500,000 cribs.

As part of the most recent recall, involving approximately 1,213,000 units distributed in the United States and 968,000 units distributed in Canada, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to stop using the recalled cribs immediately, wait for the free repair kit that converts the drop-side on these cribs to a fixed side and not to attempt to fix the cribs without the kit.

They also are advising parents to find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

However, obtaining the repair kit has not been easy.

• Teryn L. of Spanish Fort Ala., tells ConsumerAffairs.com that when she ordered the replacement brackets back in January, she was told they would be shipped and arrive in ten business days. After a month, she says, she received nothing, adding, "I have tried to call the company and I get a recording that says the mailbox is full or the number stays busy all day." Teryn says her daughter is now sleeping in a Pack-n-Play, which is not intended for sleeping full time.
• Iwona L. of Addison Ill., tells us of a similar problem. "I have been unable to contact them. The phone is constantly busy and the website is unable to download. How do they expect customers to get in touch with them without sufficient customer service representatives attending to the phones?"

Could be quicker

The head of the CPSC acknowledges that her agency did not move quickly enough to get the Stork Craft cribs off the market. "We were not advancing this case as quickly as possible," said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum in an interview with The Associated Press. "So, I put all of the resources for the agency on this project so that they could accomplish this goal of recalling the crib."

Alan Korn, executive director of Safe Kids USA, tells ConsumerAffairs.com that he's gratified by the increased attention being paid by CPSC. "There does seem to be that there's a new day at the agency," Korn said. "We're hopeful that the agency will be more aggressive for products like cribs, bassinets and playpens."

Korn stresses that "cheaper is not better," when it comes to infant products. He says the recalls are usually the lower price cribs "where the hardware is weaker - it's plastic, maybe the craftsmanship isn't there." If possible, Korn advises, parents should upgrade the crib purchases.

Safe Kids USA says that if there's any product that needs to be particularly safe for infants, its cribs because, says Korn, this is "where we leave children unattended for long periods of time." He calls incidents involving cribs, particularly when there are deaths, "very alarming."

Crib recall exposes flaws in Canadian consumer protection laws

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 27, 2009
The manufacturer of recently-recalled cribs is now facing a wave of class actions across Canada, as the incident exposes deep flaws in the country's product safety laws.

Stork Craft Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of children's products, recalled over two million cribs because of a design defect that can cause strangulation of infants.

Over 1.2 Stork Craft- and Fisher Price-branded cribs were recalled in the U.S., and an additional million were targeted in Canada. The manufacturer has advised consumers to wait for a free repair kit before using the crib again, and to find a safe sleeping environment for their children in the meantime.

Stork Craft, headquartered in Richmond, B.C., is now named in class actions in at least six provinces, many of which question the manufacturer's response to the recall. Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group is behind many of the lawsuits. He told The Canadian Press that consumers don't want the free repair kit; they want their money back, and the crib out of their house.

I haven't talked to a single solitary person who is prepared to go on using this crib, whether they tinker with it or make repairs or not, Merchant said. People say, I am not going to gamble on killing or injuring my child.

Merchant has signed up around 1,000 Canadian consumers so far, and expects more to join in the near future. He is also consulting with an American law firm about the possibility of joining U.S. consumers. Regardless of whether that effort is successful, there is little doubt that the recall will be the subject of vigorous litigation in the U.S.

Flaws found

Meanwhile, the incident has highlighted deep flaws in Canada's consumer-protection laws.

A top official for Health Canada, the government agency in charge of public health, told the Canadian Senate that mandatory reporting of serious incidents would have gone a long way toward preventing or at least severely curbing the incidents. The House of Commons has unanimously endorsed a proposed law that would make such reporting mandatory.

Paul Glover, the Health Canada official, also pointed out that the most his agency can currently do is urge companies to recall products voluntarily. The proposed legislation would give Health Canada the authority to institute mandatory recalls.

More disturbingly, Canadian news sources have reported that Health Canada received the first complaints of defective Stork Craft cribs 14 years ago, but didn't become fully aware of the situation until the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alerted them in August to complaints from American consumers. The two agencies then began working in tandem to assess the gravity and scope of the defect.

The recall covers Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. Cribs without a plastic trigger or one-hand drop-side hardware are not implicated. CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft know of at least 110 incidents where the cribs' drop-side detached, 67 in the U.S. and 43 in Canada. At least four deaths, all of them in the U.S., have occurred as a result of the defect.

Consumes with questions or in need of information, or who want to order the free repair kit, can contact Stork Craft toll-free anytime at (877) 274-0277 or at www.storkcraft.com.

New standards to become mandatory in six months

By James Limbach of ConsumerAffairs

Following recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has adopted new rules designed to insure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), signed into law in August of 2008, requires the agency to issue mandatory standards for infant durable products. This provision of the CPSIA was named in honor and in memory of Danny Keysar, who was 16 months old when he died in his Chicago childcare home because a portable crib collapsed around his neck.

The CPSIA requires mandatory standards and testing for durable infant and toddler products, product registration cards and a ban on the sale or lease of unsafe cribs. Cribs are among the first products for which mandatory standards have been promulgated under this provision.

"This new mandatory standard, the strongest in the world, will ensure that new cribs coming onto the market will provide safe haven for babies and their families," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "We applaud CPSC for their hard work and tenacity in developing and adopting this landmark rule."

Requirements

The new rule puts many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20 inches of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a lifetime use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs

Higher standards

The new requirements are mostly part of the ASTM International voluntary standard that has been adapted to serve as the CPSC mandatory rule. Over the past two years industry, consumer advocates and safety experts have worked to update the voluntary standard to provide real assurances of a safe product. Prior to the recent rewrite, the most recent significant changes to the voluntary standard were made in 1999.

The CPSC mandatory standard was last changed in 1982. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size.

"The lack of durability of recently produced cribs is appalling and has put many babies at risk," said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports. "These new regulations will ensure safe sleep environments by raising the bar for the safety and quality of cribs."

New and used covered

For the first time, this mandatory rule promulgated by CPSC applies to products already in use by some entities as well as to new products. Efforts will begin immediately to remove older unsafe products off store shelves, out of childcare homes, and out of hotels.

The CPSIA includes a section requiring that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, used by hotel guests, or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale.

Six months after the publication of the standard, all cribs on the market must be in compliance. The Commission voted to give childcare facilities and hotels an additional 18 months after that date to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

"After years of foot dragging by the industry," said Elizabeth Hitchcock of US Public Interest Research Group. "CPSC has now approved a standard and testing regimen that will keep children safe -- avoiding the crib recalls, entrapment deaths and injuries that have plagued the industry."

Illinois Attorney General says products are dangerous to infants

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who last week praised a new federal ban on drop side cribs, is now warning parents and caregivers about bumper pads -- the soft pillow-like objects used along side of cribs.

Madigan said immediate action is necessary in light of the number of infant deaths and injuries attributed to the pads.

The attorney general said she issued the warning to alert caregivers of this danger to prevent infant deaths. Babies might suffocate or be strangled if they roll against a crib bumper, press their faces against the bumper, wedge their heads between the pad and the mattress or crib side, or if their necks get wrapped by the tie that secures the bumper to the crib.

Known problem

Her warning follows an investigative report published in the Chicago Tribune that found federal regulators have known for years that bumper pads pose a suffocation hazard for babies but failed to warn parents. Bedding manufacturers and their trade group have been alerted to the issue but have yet to take action, the Tribune reported.

"We know that children have tragically died in their cribs because of these bumper pads," Madigan said. "Parents and caregivers should remove these bumpers to prevent tragedy."

Since 2008, the National Center for Child Death Review has received reports of 14 infants who have died from suffocation caused by crib bumpers. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American SIDS Institute and the Canadian Health Department have all urged parents not to use crib bumpers.

Call for action

Attorney General Madigan said she has partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics,Kids in Danger, the American SIDS Institute, SIDS of Illinois and the Canadian Health Department to alert caregivers of the danger crib bumpers pose.

She also sent a letter to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) demanding the group release results from its study into the dangers of crib bumper pads. A study commissioned by JPMA to investigate these dangers has yet to be published while the group internally reviews the report. Madigan urged the association to release the study immediately, so the proper authorities can take any necessary steps to prevent further harm.

"The JPMA needs to release results of its study and implement effective measures to remove these bumpers from the marketplace," Madigan said. "Manufacturers and distributors of these pads must take responsibility for the dangers posed by these products. We must work together to educate parents and caregivers and ensure cribs across Illinois and nationwide are safe for babies."

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a national trade organization that represents companies across the country that manufacture, import and distribute infant products like cribs, car seats and strollers.

Illinois Attorney General says products are dangerous to infants

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who last week praised a new federal ban on drop side cribs, is now warning parents and caregivers about bumper pads -- the soft pillow-like objects used along side of cribs.

Madigan said immediate action is necessary in light of the number of infant deaths and injuries attributed to the pads.

The attorney general said she issued the warning to alert caregivers of this danger to prevent infant deaths. Babies might suffocate or be strangled if they roll against a crib bumper, press their faces against the bumper, wedge their heads between the pad and the mattress or crib side, or if their necks get wrapped by the tie that secures the bumper to the crib.

Known problem

Her warning follows an investigative report published in the Chicago Tribune that found federal regulators have known for years that bumper pads pose a suffocation hazard for babies but failed to warn parents. Bedding manufacturers and their trade group have been alerted to the issue but have yet to take action, the Tribune reported.

"We know that children have tragically died in their cribs because of these bumper pads," Madigan said. "Parents and caregivers should remove these bumpers to prevent tragedy."

Since 2008, the National Center for Child Death Review has received reports of 14 infants who have died from suffocation caused by crib bumpers. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American SIDS Institute and the Canadian Health Department have all urged parents not to use crib bumpers.

Call for action

Attorney General Madigan said she has partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics,Kids in Danger, the American SIDS Institute, SIDS of Illinois and the Canadian Health Department to alert caregivers of the danger crib bumpers pose.

She also sent a letter to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) demanding the group release results from its study into the dangers of crib bumper pads. A study commissioned by JPMA to investigate these dangers has yet to be published while the group internally reviews the report. Madigan urged the association to release the study immediately, so the proper authorities can take any necessary steps to prevent further harm.

"The JPMA needs to release results of its study and implement effective measures to remove these bumpers from the marketplace," Madigan said. "Manufacturers and distributors of these pads must take responsibility for the dangers posed by these products. We must work together to educate parents and caregivers and ensure cribs across Illinois and nationwide are safe for babies."

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a national trade organization that represents companies across the country that manufacture, import and distribute infant products like cribs, car seats and strollers.

Crib recall exposes flaws in Canadian consumer protection laws

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 27, 2009
The manufacturer of recently-recalled cribs is now facing a wave of class actions across Canada, as the incident exposes deep flaws in the country's product safety laws.

Stork Craft Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of children's products, recalled over two million cribs because of a design defect that can cause strangulation of infants.

Over 1.2 Stork Craft- and Fisher Price-branded cribs were recalled in the U.S., and an additional million were targeted in Canada. The manufacturer has advised consumers to wait for a free repair kit before using the crib again, and to find a safe sleeping environment for their children in the meantime.

Stork Craft, headquartered in Richmond, B.C., is now named in class actions in at least six provinces, many of which question the manufacturer's response to the recall. Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group is behind many of the lawsuits. He told The Canadian Press that consumers don't want the free repair kit; they want their money back, and the crib out of their house.

I haven't talked to a single solitary person who is prepared to go on using this crib, whether they tinker with it or make repairs or not, Merchant said. People say, I am not going to gamble on killing or injuring my child.

Merchant has signed up around 1,000 Canadian consumers so far, and expects more to join in the near future. He is also consulting with an American law firm about the possibility of joining U.S. consumers. Regardless of whether that effort is successful, there is little doubt that the recall will be the subject of vigorous litigation in the U.S.

Flaws found

Meanwhile, the incident has highlighted deep flaws in Canada's consumer-protection laws.

A top official for Health Canada, the government agency in charge of public health, told the Canadian Senate that mandatory reporting of serious incidents would have gone a long way toward preventing or at least severely curbing the incidents. The House of Commons has unanimously endorsed a proposed law that would make such reporting mandatory.

Paul Glover, the Health Canada official, also pointed out that the most his agency can currently do is urge companies to recall products voluntarily. The proposed legislation would give Health Canada the authority to institute mandatory recalls.

More disturbingly, Canadian news sources have reported that Health Canada received the first complaints of defective Stork Craft cribs 14 years ago, but didn't become fully aware of the situation until the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alerted them in August to complaints from American consumers. The two agencies then began working in tandem to assess the gravity and scope of the defect.

The recall covers Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. Cribs without a plastic trigger or one-hand drop-side hardware are not implicated. CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft know of at least 110 incidents where the cribs' drop-side detached, 67 in the U.S. and 43 in Canada. At least four deaths, all of them in the U.S., have occurred as a result of the defect.

Consumes with questions or in need of information, or who want to order the free repair kit, can contact Stork Craft toll-free anytime at (877) 274-0277 or at www.storkcraft.com.

The cribs drop sides can malfunction, detach or otherwise fail, causing part of the drop side to fall out of position, creating a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped, which can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A child can also fall out of the crib. Drop-side incidents can also occur due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and tear.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Evenflo have received 31 reports of drop sides that malfunctioned or detached. One involved the entrapment of a seven month old boy between the drop side and the crib mattress. He sustained bumps and bruises to his head. Nine children fell out of the crib when the drop side detached, unlocked or fell off. Seven of those children sustained minor injuries, including bumps, bruises and cuts. Fourteen other incidents involved no injuries.

In addition, CPSC has received two reports of children who became entrapped when the mattress support detached in one corner of cribs manufactured between 2000 and 2004.

The following Evenflo crib models are included in this recall. The model number is located on a label on the bottom beam of the headboard.

The cribs, made in Mexico and China, were sold at childrens product stores and various other retailers nationwide from January 2000 through November 2007 for about $200.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled drop-side cribs and contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit that will immobilize the drop side. A repair kit for the mattress support system is also available for cribs with model numbers starting with 012 and 014 that were manufactured between 2000 and 2004. In the meantime, find an alternate, safe sleep environment for the child, such as a bassinet, play yard or toddler bed depending on the childs age. The repair kits will be provided to consumers within the next several weeks.

For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 356-2229 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firms web site at http://safety.evenflo.com

Cautionary note

Federal safety regulators remind parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child.

In addition, parents should not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Age is a factor in the safety of any crib. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that is older than 10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous safety problems.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

New standards to become mandatory in six months

By James Limbach of ConsumerAffairs

Following recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has adopted new rules designed to insure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), signed into law in August of 2008, requires the agency to issue mandatory standards for infant durable products. This provision of the CPSIA was named in honor and in memory of Danny Keysar, who was 16 months old when he died in his Chicago childcare home because a portable crib collapsed around his neck.

The CPSIA requires mandatory standards and testing for durable infant and toddler products, product registration cards and a ban on the sale or lease of unsafe cribs. Cribs are among the first products for which mandatory standards have been promulgated under this provision.

"This new mandatory standard, the strongest in the world, will ensure that new cribs coming onto the market will provide safe haven for babies and their families," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "We applaud CPSC for their hard work and tenacity in developing and adopting this landmark rule."

Requirements

The new rule puts many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20 inches of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a lifetime use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs

Higher standards

The new requirements are mostly part of the ASTM International voluntary standard that has been adapted to serve as the CPSC mandatory rule. Over the past two years industry, consumer advocates and safety experts have worked to update the voluntary standard to provide real assurances of a safe product. Prior to the recent rewrite, the most recent significant changes to the voluntary standard were made in 1999.

The CPSC mandatory standard was last changed in 1982. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size.

"The lack of durability of recently produced cribs is appalling and has put many babies at risk," said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports. "These new regulations will ensure safe sleep environments by raising the bar for the safety and quality of cribs."

New and used covered

For the first time, this mandatory rule promulgated by CPSC applies to products already in use by some entities as well as to new products. Efforts will begin immediately to remove older unsafe products off store shelves, out of childcare homes, and out of hotels.

The CPSIA includes a section requiring that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, used by hotel guests, or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale.

Six months after the publication of the standard, all cribs on the market must be in compliance. The Commission voted to give childcare facilities and hotels an additional 18 months after that date to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

"After years of foot dragging by the industry," said Elizabeth Hitchcock of US Public Interest Research Group. "CPSC has now approved a standard and testing regimen that will keep children safe -- avoiding the crib recalls, entrapment deaths and injuries that have plagued the industry."

Illinois Attorney General says products are dangerous to infants

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who last week praised a new federal ban on drop side cribs, is now warning parents and caregivers about bumper pads -- the soft pillow-like objects used along side of cribs.

Madigan said immediate action is necessary in light of the number of infant deaths and injuries attributed to the pads.

The attorney general said she issued the warning to alert caregivers of this danger to prevent infant deaths. Babies might suffocate or be strangled if they roll against a crib bumper, press their faces against the bumper, wedge their heads between the pad and the mattress or crib side, or if their necks get wrapped by the tie that secures the bumper to the crib.

Known problem

Her warning follows an investigative report published in the Chicago Tribune that found federal regulators have known for years that bumper pads pose a suffocation hazard for babies but failed to warn parents. Bedding manufacturers and their trade group have been alerted to the issue but have yet to take action, the Tribune reported.

"We know that children have tragically died in their cribs because of these bumper pads," Madigan said. "Parents and caregivers should remove these bumpers to prevent tragedy."

Since 2008, the National Center for Child Death Review has received reports of 14 infants who have died from suffocation caused by crib bumpers. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American SIDS Institute and the Canadian Health Department have all urged parents not to use crib bumpers.

Call for action

Attorney General Madigan said she has partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics,Kids in Danger, the American SIDS Institute, SIDS of Illinois and the Canadian Health Department to alert caregivers of the danger crib bumpers pose.

She also sent a letter to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) demanding the group release results from its study into the dangers of crib bumper pads. A study commissioned by JPMA to investigate these dangers has yet to be published while the group internally reviews the report. Madigan urged the association to release the study immediately, so the proper authorities can take any necessary steps to prevent further harm.

"The JPMA needs to release results of its study and implement effective measures to remove these bumpers from the marketplace," Madigan said. "Manufacturers and distributors of these pads must take responsibility for the dangers posed by these products. We must work together to educate parents and caregivers and ensure cribs across Illinois and nationwide are safe for babies."

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a national trade organization that represents companies across the country that manufacture, import and distribute infant products like cribs, car seats and strollers.

Missing Safety Pegs Create Risk of Entrapment and Suffocation

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is repeating the 2008 recall of more than 985,000 drop-side cribs with "Crib Trigger Lock and Safety Peg" hardware.

In January 2011, CPSC and Delta Enterprise Corp., the crib's manufacturer, learned of a 2009 death in which a 7-month-old girl from Colorado Springs, Colo., became entrapped and suffocated between the detached drop-side and mattress of her recalled crib. The crib was purchased secondhand and re-assembled without safety pegs in the bottom tracks.

Missing safety pegs can create a situation where the crib's drop-side rail disengages from the track. This can create a hazardous space in which an infant can become entrapped and suffocate.

At the time of the October 2008 recall, CPSC notified consumers about the death of an 8-month-old girl who became entrapped and suffocated when the drop side of the crib detached. The crib involved in this incident also was re-assembled without safety pegs. At the time of the October 2008 recall announcement, there were reports of two entrapments and nine detachments in cribs without safety pegs.

"Buying or accepting cribs second hand can be risky," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Second hand cribs may not come with all of the necessary parts that are needed to make sure your baby is safe. We urge parents and caregivers to use caution and to be aware that new rules established by CPSC will bring safer cribs to the market this summer."

The repeated recall involves cribs that were made in Taiwan and Indonesia. The cribs were sold at major retail stores including Kmart, Target and Walmart between January 1995 and December 2005 (through September 2007 for model 4624) for about $100.

Delta's name and address is printed on the mattress support boards and the Delta logo is on the crib's top teether rail. Model numbers are located on the top of the mattress support board. This announcement includes the following 49 crib models with "Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg" drop-side hardware:

• 4320, 4340;
• 4500, 4520, 4530, 4532, 4540, 4542, 4550, 4551, 4580;
• 4600, 4620, 4624 - production dates 01/06 thru 11/07, 4640, 4660, 4720, 4735, 4742, 4750 - production dates 01/95 thru 12/00;
• 4760, 4770, 4780, 4790;
• 4820, 4840, 4850, 4860, 4880, 4890, 4892; and
• 4900, 4910, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-6, 4930, 4940, 4943, 4944, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4958, 4963, 4968, 4969, 4980.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using cribs that are missing a safety peg on either leg of the drop side and contact Delta to receive a free, easy-to-install repair kit. Call Delta toll-free at (800) 816-5304 anytime or visit the firm's website at www.cribrecallcenter.com to order the free repair kit.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to find a safe, alternative sleep environment for their child until the repair kit, with new safety pegs, is safely installed on the recalled cribs.

CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for parts separating that can create a gap and entrap a child.

In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Crib age is a factor in safety. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you do not use a crib that is older than 10 years old. New, mandatory federal crib rules take effect on June 28, 2011. All cribs manufactured and sold after that date must meet new and improved safety requirements. Older cribs do not meet the new standard and can have a variety of safety problems.

The cribs drop sides can malfunction, detach or otherwise fail, causing part of the drop side to fall out of position, creating a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped, which can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A child can also fall out of the crib. Drop-side incidents can also occur due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and tear.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Evenflo have received 31 reports of drop sides that malfunctioned or detached. One involved the entrapment of a seven month old boy between the drop side and the crib mattress. He sustained bumps and bruises to his head. Nine children fell out of the crib when the drop side detached, unlocked or fell off. Seven of those children sustained minor injuries, including bumps, bruises and cuts. Fourteen other incidents involved no injuries.

In addition, CPSC has received two reports of children who became entrapped when the mattress support detached in one corner of cribs manufactured between 2000 and 2004.

The following Evenflo crib models are included in this recall. The model number is located on a label on the bottom beam of the headboard.

The cribs, made in Mexico and China, were sold at childrens product stores and various other retailers nationwide from January 2000 through November 2007 for about $200.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled drop-side cribs and contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit that will immobilize the drop side. A repair kit for the mattress support system is also available for cribs with model numbers starting with 012 and 014 that were manufactured between 2000 and 2004. In the meantime, find an alternate, safe sleep environment for the child, such as a bassinet, play yard or toddler bed depending on the childs age. The repair kits will be provided to consumers within the next several weeks.

For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 356-2229 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firms web site at http://safety.evenflo.com

Cautionary note

Federal safety regulators remind parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child.

In addition, parents should not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Age is a factor in the safety of any crib. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that is older than 10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous safety problems.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Missing Safety Pegs Create Risk of Entrapment and Suffocation

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is repeating the 2008 recall of more than 985,000 drop-side cribs with "Crib Trigger Lock and Safety Peg" hardware.

In January 2011, CPSC and Delta Enterprise Corp., the crib's manufacturer, learned of a 2009 death in which a 7-month-old girl from Colorado Springs, Colo., became entrapped and suffocated between the detached drop-side and mattress of her recalled crib. The crib was purchased secondhand and re-assembled without safety pegs in the bottom tracks.

Missing safety pegs can create a situation where the crib's drop-side rail disengages from the track. This can create a hazardous space in which an infant can become entrapped and suffocate.

At the time of the October 2008 recall, CPSC notified consumers about the death of an 8-month-old girl who became entrapped and suffocated when the drop side of the crib detached. The crib involved in this incident also was re-assembled without safety pegs. At the time of the October 2008 recall announcement, there were reports of two entrapments and nine detachments in cribs without safety pegs.

"Buying or accepting cribs second hand can be risky," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Second hand cribs may not come with all of the necessary parts that are needed to make sure your baby is safe. We urge parents and caregivers to use caution and to be aware that new rules established by CPSC will bring safer cribs to the market this summer."

The repeated recall involves cribs that were made in Taiwan and Indonesia. The cribs were sold at major retail stores including Kmart, Target and Walmart between January 1995 and December 2005 (through September 2007 for model 4624) for about $100.

Delta's name and address is printed on the mattress support boards and the Delta logo is on the crib's top teether rail. Model numbers are located on the top of the mattress support board. This announcement includes the following 49 crib models with "Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg" drop-side hardware:

• 4320, 4340;
• 4500, 4520, 4530, 4532, 4540, 4542, 4550, 4551, 4580;
• 4600, 4620, 4624 - production dates 01/06 thru 11/07, 4640, 4660, 4720, 4735, 4742, 4750 - production dates 01/95 thru 12/00;
• 4760, 4770, 4780, 4790;
• 4820, 4840, 4850, 4860, 4880, 4890, 4892; and
• 4900, 4910, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-6, 4930, 4940, 4943, 4944, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4958, 4963, 4968, 4969, 4980.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using cribs that are missing a safety peg on either leg of the drop side and contact Delta to receive a free, easy-to-install repair kit. Call Delta toll-free at (800) 816-5304 anytime or visit the firm's website at www.cribrecallcenter.com to order the free repair kit.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to find a safe, alternative sleep environment for their child until the repair kit, with new safety pegs, is safely installed on the recalled cribs.

CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for parts separating that can create a gap and entrap a child.

In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Crib age is a factor in safety. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you do not use a crib that is older than 10 years old. New, mandatory federal crib rules take effect on June 28, 2011. All cribs manufactured and sold after that date must meet new and improved safety requirements. Older cribs do not meet the new standard and can have a variety of safety problems.

Crib recall exposes flaws in Canadian consumer protection laws

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 27, 2009
The manufacturer of recently-recalled cribs is now facing a wave of class actions across Canada, as the incident exposes deep flaws in the country's product safety laws.

Stork Craft Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of children's products, recalled over two million cribs because of a design defect that can cause strangulation of infants.

Over 1.2 Stork Craft- and Fisher Price-branded cribs were recalled in the U.S., and an additional million were targeted in Canada. The manufacturer has advised consumers to wait for a free repair kit before using the crib again, and to find a safe sleeping environment for their children in the meantime.

Stork Craft, headquartered in Richmond, B.C., is now named in class actions in at least six provinces, many of which question the manufacturer's response to the recall. Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group is behind many of the lawsuits. He told The Canadian Press that consumers don't want the free repair kit; they want their money back, and the crib out of their house.

I haven't talked to a single solitary person who is prepared to go on using this crib, whether they tinker with it or make repairs or not, Merchant said. People say, I am not going to gamble on killing or injuring my child.

Merchant has signed up around 1,000 Canadian consumers so far, and expects more to join in the near future. He is also consulting with an American law firm about the possibility of joining U.S. consumers. Regardless of whether that effort is successful, there is little doubt that the recall will be the subject of vigorous litigation in the U.S.

Flaws found

Meanwhile, the incident has highlighted deep flaws in Canada's consumer-protection laws.

A top official for Health Canada, the government agency in charge of public health, told the Canadian Senate that mandatory reporting of serious incidents would have gone a long way toward preventing or at least severely curbing the incidents. The House of Commons has unanimously endorsed a proposed law that would make such reporting mandatory.

Paul Glover, the Health Canada official, also pointed out that the most his agency can currently do is urge companies to recall products voluntarily. The proposed legislation would give Health Canada the authority to institute mandatory recalls.

More disturbingly, Canadian news sources have reported that Health Canada received the first complaints of defective Stork Craft cribs 14 years ago, but didn't become fully aware of the situation until the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alerted them in August to complaints from American consumers. The two agencies then began working in tandem to assess the gravity and scope of the defect.

The recall covers Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. Cribs without a plastic trigger or one-hand drop-side hardware are not implicated. CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft know of at least 110 incidents where the cribs' drop-side detached, 67 in the U.S. and 43 in Canada. At least four deaths, all of them in the U.S., have occurred as a result of the defect.

Consumes with questions or in need of information, or who want to order the free repair kit, can contact Stork Craft toll-free anytime at (877) 274-0277 or at www.storkcraft.com.

New standards to become mandatory in six months

By James Limbach of ConsumerAffairs

Following recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has adopted new rules designed to insure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), signed into law in August of 2008, requires the agency to issue mandatory standards for infant durable products. This provision of the CPSIA was named in honor and in memory of Danny Keysar, who was 16 months old when he died in his Chicago childcare home because a portable crib collapsed around his neck.

The CPSIA requires mandatory standards and testing for durable infant and toddler products, product registration cards and a ban on the sale or lease of unsafe cribs. Cribs are among the first products for which mandatory standards have been promulgated under this provision.

"This new mandatory standard, the strongest in the world, will ensure that new cribs coming onto the market will provide safe haven for babies and their families," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "We applaud CPSC for their hard work and tenacity in developing and adopting this landmark rule."

Requirements

The new rule puts many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20 inches of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a lifetime use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs

Higher standards

The new requirements are mostly part of the ASTM International voluntary standard that has been adapted to serve as the CPSC mandatory rule. Over the past two years industry, consumer advocates and safety experts have worked to update the voluntary standard to provide real assurances of a safe product. Prior to the recent rewrite, the most recent significant changes to the voluntary standard were made in 1999.

The CPSC mandatory standard was last changed in 1982. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size.

"The lack of durability of recently produced cribs is appalling and has put many babies at risk," said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports. "These new regulations will ensure safe sleep environments by raising the bar for the safety and quality of cribs."

New and used covered

For the first time, this mandatory rule promulgated by CPSC applies to products already in use by some entities as well as to new products. Efforts will begin immediately to remove older unsafe products off store shelves, out of childcare homes, and out of hotels.

The CPSIA includes a section requiring that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, used by hotel guests, or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale.

Six months after the publication of the standard, all cribs on the market must be in compliance. The Commission voted to give childcare facilities and hotels an additional 18 months after that date to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

"After years of foot dragging by the industry," said Elizabeth Hitchcock of US Public Interest Research Group. "CPSC has now approved a standard and testing regimen that will keep children safe -- avoiding the crib recalls, entrapment deaths and injuries that have plagued the industry."

Crib recall exposes flaws in Canadian consumer protection laws

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 27, 2009
The manufacturer of recently-recalled cribs is now facing a wave of class actions across Canada, as the incident exposes deep flaws in the country's product safety laws.

Stork Craft Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of children's products, recalled over two million cribs because of a design defect that can cause strangulation of infants.

Over 1.2 Stork Craft- and Fisher Price-branded cribs were recalled in the U.S., and an additional million were targeted in Canada. The manufacturer has advised consumers to wait for a free repair kit before using the crib again, and to find a safe sleeping environment for their children in the meantime.

Stork Craft, headquartered in Richmond, B.C., is now named in class actions in at least six provinces, many of which question the manufacturer's response to the recall. Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group is behind many of the lawsuits. He told The Canadian Press that consumers don't want the free repair kit; they want their money back, and the crib out of their house.

I haven't talked to a single solitary person who is prepared to go on using this crib, whether they tinker with it or make repairs or not, Merchant said. People say, I am not going to gamble on killing or injuring my child.

Merchant has signed up around 1,000 Canadian consumers so far, and expects more to join in the near future. He is also consulting with an American law firm about the possibility of joining U.S. consumers. Regardless of whether that effort is successful, there is little doubt that the recall will be the subject of vigorous litigation in the U.S.

Flaws found

Meanwhile, the incident has highlighted deep flaws in Canada's consumer-protection laws.

A top official for Health Canada, the government agency in charge of public health, told the Canadian Senate that mandatory reporting of serious incidents would have gone a long way toward preventing or at least severely curbing the incidents. The House of Commons has unanimously endorsed a proposed law that would make such reporting mandatory.

Paul Glover, the Health Canada official, also pointed out that the most his agency can currently do is urge companies to recall products voluntarily. The proposed legislation would give Health Canada the authority to institute mandatory recalls.

More disturbingly, Canadian news sources have reported that Health Canada received the first complaints of defective Stork Craft cribs 14 years ago, but didn't become fully aware of the situation until the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) alerted them in August to complaints from American consumers. The two agencies then began working in tandem to assess the gravity and scope of the defect.

The recall covers Stork Craft drop-side cribs and Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. Cribs without a plastic trigger or one-hand drop-side hardware are not implicated. CPSC, Health Canada, and Stork Craft know of at least 110 incidents where the cribs' drop-side detached, 67 in the U.S. and 43 in Canada. At least four deaths, all of them in the U.S., have occurred as a result of the defect.

Consumes with questions or in need of information, or who want to order the free repair kit, can contact Stork Craft toll-free anytime at (877) 274-0277 or at www.storkcraft.com.

New standards to become mandatory in six months

By James Limbach of ConsumerAffairs

Following recalls of millions of cribs due to entrapment deaths and injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has adopted new rules designed to insure that new cribs have been tested for safety to rigorous standards.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), signed into law in August of 2008, requires the agency to issue mandatory standards for infant durable products. This provision of the CPSIA was named in honor and in memory of Danny Keysar, who was 16 months old when he died in his Chicago childcare home because a portable crib collapsed around his neck.

The CPSIA requires mandatory standards and testing for durable infant and toddler products, product registration cards and a ban on the sale or lease of unsafe cribs. Cribs are among the first products for which mandatory standards have been promulgated under this provision.

"This new mandatory standard, the strongest in the world, will ensure that new cribs coming onto the market will provide safe haven for babies and their families," said Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger. "We applaud CPSC for their hard work and tenacity in developing and adopting this landmark rule."

Requirements

The new rule puts many new tests and requirements in place:

• Cribs with full side drop-sides will not be allowed -- the bottom 20 inches of the crib rail must be fixed to eliminate the entrapment hazards seen when the hardware fails.
• All cribs must undergo rigorous testing for slat strength, durability and mattress support strength. The series of testing is conducted on one crib to simulate a lifetime use of a crib. This is the key to the new standard. Most of the 10 million cribs recalled since 2007 were able to meet the weak industry standards that were in place.
• Warnings and labeling have been improved, both to make parents more aware of when a crib is mis-assembled and to alert them to developmental signs to stop using a crib (when the child attempts to climb out). While most attention has been rightly focused on entrapment deaths in cribs, most injuries are as a result of children falling out of cribs

Higher standards

The new requirements are mostly part of the ASTM International voluntary standard that has been adapted to serve as the CPSC mandatory rule. Over the past two years industry, consumer advocates and safety experts have worked to update the voluntary standard to provide real assurances of a safe product. Prior to the recent rewrite, the most recent significant changes to the voluntary standard were made in 1999.

The CPSC mandatory standard was last changed in 1982. The new standards include two sets of similar rules: one for full-size cribs and one for non-full-size cribs. Non-full-size cribs can be smaller, larger or a different shape than a full-size crib, which is a standardized shape and size.

"The lack of durability of recently produced cribs is appalling and has put many babies at risk," said Don Mays, senior director of product safety and technical policy for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports. "These new regulations will ensure safe sleep environments by raising the bar for the safety and quality of cribs."

New and used covered

For the first time, this mandatory rule promulgated by CPSC applies to products already in use by some entities as well as to new products. Efforts will begin immediately to remove older unsafe products off store shelves, out of childcare homes, and out of hotels.

The CPSIA includes a section requiring that cribs that don't meet the new standard can't be sold -- new or used, used in child care, used by hotel guests, or used in other public accommodations. This measure alone will go far in removing unsafe cribs from use. This does not apply to already purchased cribs being used in private homes, except for barring their resale.

Six months after the publication of the standard, all cribs on the market must be in compliance. The Commission voted to give childcare facilities and hotels an additional 18 months after that date to replace any non-compliant cribs. CPSC has indicated that cribs currently being manufactured and tested that meet the new standard can continue to be used, even though their sale took place prior to the new rule being official.

"After years of foot dragging by the industry," said Elizabeth Hitchcock of US Public Interest Research Group. "CPSC has now approved a standard and testing regimen that will keep children safe -- avoiding the crib recalls, entrapment deaths and injuries that have plagued the industry."

More photos below

The drop side hardware can fail causing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and suffocate or strangle. In addition, the recalled cribs can pose a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard when a slat is damaged. This can occur while the crib is in use, in storage, being put together, taken apart or reassembled; or during shipping and handling.

Dorel Asia said it received a report of the death of 6-month old child from Cedar Rapids, Iowa who became entrapped and strangled in a crib after the drop side hardware broke. The crib continued to be used after the parents tried to repair the drop side themselves.

Federal safety regulators and Dorel Asia said they also received reports of 31 drop side incidents. In six of those incidents, children were entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. Three children suffered from bruises as a result of the entrapment. In addition, CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 36 incidents of slat breakage, including seven reports of bruises and scratches to children and two reports of entrapment that resulted in no injury.

The following Dorel Asia cribs are involved in the recall:

The cribs were sold at Kmart, Sears and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700. They were made in China and Vietnam.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, find an alternative safe sleeping environment for your child, and contact Dorel Asia to receive a free replacement kit. Consumers should log on to www.dorel-asia.com to order the free replacement kit to prevent child entrapment in these cribs. The repair kits will be provided to owners within the next several weeks.

Call Dorel Asia toll-free at (866) 762-2304 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firms Web site at www.dorel-asia.com

Important Message from CPSC: CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with duct tape, wire or rope.

Visit CPSC's Crib Information Center for more information on Crib Safety and Recalls.

4-1 Crib - Walnut, Model # WM1676BC



3 -1 Sleigh Crib - Cherry Model # WM1633 & WM1633-0



3 -1 Lexington Crib - Cherry Model # DA1614B3



3 -1 Heritage Crib - Natural Model # DA0504KMC-1N



3 -1 Heritage Crib - White Model # DA0504KMC-1W



3 -1 Convertible Crib - White Model # DAKM5132



Cottage Hill Single Crib - White Model # DASE5005



Vintage Estate 3-1 Crib - Cherry Model # DASE5009



3-1 Convertible Crib - Natural Model # DAKM1615B3

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

July 2, 2009
About 400,000 Simplicity drop side cribs are being recalled. The crib's plastic hardware can break or deform, causing the drop side to detach. When the drop side detaches, it creates space between the drop side and the crib mattress. Infants and toddlers can roll into this space and become entrapped which can lead to suffocation.

Federal safety regulators say they are aware of one death involving an 8-month-old child from Houston, Texas who became entrapped and suffocated between the drop side and the crib mattress when a plastic connector on the drop side broke. CPSC also is aware of an additional 25 incidents involving the drop side detaching from the crib.

In six of these incidents, the drop side detached because the plastic flexible tab deformed or broke. In four of the drop side detachment incidents, other plastic parts, including connectors or tracks, deformed or broke. In two of the incidents, two children became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. There were no reported injuries.

The cribs were imported by Simplicity Inc. and SFCA Inc. of Reading, Pa. The firms are apparently no longer in business and unable to aid in the recall, the CPSC said.

This recall involves all drop side cribs with a different or 'newer' style of plastic hardware from those cribs recalled in September 2007. This newer style of Simplicity hardware can be identified by a flexible plastic tab at the top of the lower tracks. The recalled model numbers include but may not be limited to: 8050, 8325, 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8765, 8778, 8810, and 8994, 8995, 8996.

The cribs, made in China, were sold at department stores, children's stores, and mass merchandisers nationwide from January 2005 through June 2009 for between $150 and $300.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should immediately return the crib to the place of purchase for a refund, replacement or store credit.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

More photos below

The drop side hardware can fail causing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and suffocate or strangle. In addition, the recalled cribs can pose a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard when a slat is damaged. This can occur while the crib is in use, in storage, being put together, taken apart or reassembled; or during shipping and handling.

Dorel Asia said it received a report of the death of 6-month old child from Cedar Rapids, Iowa who became entrapped and strangled in a crib after the drop side hardware broke. The crib continued to be used after the parents tried to repair the drop side themselves.

Federal safety regulators and Dorel Asia said they also received reports of 31 drop side incidents. In six of those incidents, children were entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. Three children suffered from bruises as a result of the entrapment. In addition, CPSC and Dorel Asia received reports of 36 incidents of slat breakage, including seven reports of bruises and scratches to children and two reports of entrapment that resulted in no injury.

The following Dorel Asia cribs are involved in the recall:

The cribs were sold at Kmart, Sears and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700. They were made in China and Vietnam.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, find an alternative safe sleeping environment for your child, and contact Dorel Asia to receive a free replacement kit. Consumers should log on to www.dorel-asia.com to order the free replacement kit to prevent child entrapment in these cribs. The repair kits will be provided to owners within the next several weeks.

Call Dorel Asia toll-free at (866) 762-2304 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firms Web site at www.dorel-asia.com

Important Message from CPSC: CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with duct tape, wire or rope.

Visit CPSC's Crib Information Center for more information on Crib Safety and Recalls.

4-1 Crib - Walnut, Model # WM1676BC



3 -1 Sleigh Crib - Cherry Model # WM1633 & WM1633-0



3 -1 Lexington Crib - Cherry Model # DA1614B3



3 -1 Heritage Crib - Natural Model # DA0504KMC-1N



3 -1 Heritage Crib - White Model # DA0504KMC-1W



3 -1 Convertible Crib - White Model # DAKM5132



Cottage Hill Single Crib - White Model # DASE5005



Vintage Estate 3-1 Crib - Cherry Model # DASE5009



3-1 Convertible Crib - Natural Model # DAKM1615B3

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).