The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the biggest crib recall in U.S. history — more than 2.1 million drop-side cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing.
These cribs have a side that moves up and down to allow parents to lift children from the cribs more easily.
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, creating 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.
Four young children have died due to entrapment and suffocation in the cribs.
Parents and caregivers are urged to do the following:
- Immediately stop using the recalled cribs
- Find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby
- Contact Stork Craft to receive a free repair kit
- Wait for the free repair kit
- Do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit
Stork Craft is one of the most widely purchased brand names in baby cribs.
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.
Note: 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.
For additional information, contact Stork Craft toll-free at (877) 274-0277 anytime to order the free repair kit.
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please click here
