Fisher-Price, US Regulators Warn Of Infant Deaths In Rockers

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isher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker (left and center), Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Rocker (right). (Photos courtesy of The United States Product Safety Commission)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fisher-Price and U.S. product safety regulators are telling parents not to let their infants fall asleep in the company’s rockers after 13 infants died in the devices between 2009 and 2021.

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The deaths happened when the babies fell asleep in Fisher Price’s Infant-to-Toddler and Newborn-to-Toddler rockers. The company, along with U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, said the rockers should never be used for sleep and infants should never be left unsupervised or unrestrained in them.

Fisher-Price, a division of El Segundo, California-based Mattel Inc., recalled a similar product last year after four infants died after they were placed on their backs unrestrained in the 4-in-1 Rock ’n Glide Soother. Those fatalities, all children under 4 months old, occurred between April 2019 and February 2020.

In 2019, the CPSC recalled another similar Fisher-Price product, the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, after 30 infant fatalities were reported. Doctors, parents and consumer advocates had warned the company for years that the product was unsafe and should be recalled.

CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said a gag order implemented by Congress in 1981 prevented the agency from issuing an immediate warning to consumers without first seeking permission from the product’s maker. In the most recent case, Trumka said the gag order delayed the warning message by two months.

“Congress must immediately repeal the gag rule,” Trumka said in a release separate from Tuesday’s product warning. “If CPSC cannot issue timely warnings, dangers will remain hidden in people’s homes.”

A new rule finalized by the CPSC requires that infant sleep products have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less. The rule goes into effect on June 23, 2022.

Fisher-Price and the CPSC said the best place for infants to sleep is on their back on a firm, flat surface without blankets or other objects near them.

Fisher-Price has sold more than 17 million Rockers worldwide since the 1990s.

Consumers are encouraged to report incidents involving these or other infant products to the CPSC at saferproducts (dot) gov.


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Yid
Yid
1 year ago

From CDC website:
Each year, there are about 3,400 sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in the United States. These deaths occur among infants less than 1 year old and have no immediately obvious cause.

From the article:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fisher-Price and U.S. product safety regulators are telling parents not to let their infants fall asleep in the company’s rockers after 13 infants died in the devices between 2009 and 2021.

Fisher-Price has sold more than 17 million Rockers worldwide since the 1990s

What exactly the goal to blame the company?

Dontunderstand
Dontunderstand
1 year ago

How do they die in it? It seems to be very safe.

Liam K. Nuj
Liam K. Nuj
1 year ago

Just waiting for some “educated” people to comment how the regulators are going overboard.

Phineas
Phineas
1 year ago

Uh oh archy. Another recall. There goes the supply chain.

A REAL YID
A REAL YID
1 year ago

ALL THIS GARBAGE NEWS ON VIN AND NOTHING ABOUT THE JAN 6 CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AND TRUMP STEALING $250million FROM SMALL DONATION SUPPORTERS. SSSSSHANDA