Millions of Popular Infant Accessories Recalled After Multiple Tragic Deaths
By Ole Braatelien October 11, 2024 at 11:32am
Fisher-Price recalled its “Snuga Swing” Thursday after reports of five infant deaths, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The infants reportedly suffocated in their sleep.
The alert urges consumers to remove the headrest and the body support insert before continued use. Fisher-Price will refund $25 to consumers who remove and destroy the headrest and insert.
“The swing should never be used for sleep, and bedding materials should never be added to it,” the CPSC alert said. “If the product is used for sleep or bedding material is added, the headrest and body support insert on the seat pad can increase the risk of suffocation.”
#RECALL: More than 2 million Fisher-Price Snuga Infant Swings, all models, due to suffocation hazard; 5 deaths reported. Get repair and partial refund. CONTACT: Fisher-Price toll-free at 855-853-6224, https://t.co/qcX9yJpqVH or https://t.co/4rF8VWXRpyhttps://t.co/T4GWSPabff pic.twitter.com/QGkz4zS02s
— US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) October 10, 2024
But CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. isn’t satisfied with the toy company’s response.
“I absolutely agree that Fisher-Price Snuga Swings need to be recalled—they are tied to multiple infant sleep deaths, Trumka said in a statement. “However, I believe that the flawed recall that Fisher-Price is announcing today is doomed to fail and will keep many babies in harm’s way.
Should these swings be recalled entirely?
“First, Fisher-Price fails to recall the entire product, instead recalling only a portion of it. Even after a consumer follows through with the recall ‘remedy,’ the product remains unsafe for infant sleep, yet Fisher-Price encourages ‘continuing to use the swing,’” Trumka continued.
“Second, along with choosing to recall only a portion of the product, Fisher-Price is offering consumers only a small portion of the product’s cost—$25, when consumers originally spent around $160 for the Snuga Swings.
“I fear that this dangerous approach will keep babies at risk of death just to save Fisher-Price money—a horrible example of putting profit over people.
“My advice: get your $25 refund and then throw this product away; do not keep it in your homes because even after the so-called ‘repair’ this product will still be unsafe for infant sleep,” Trumka said.
Reports of the five infant deaths occurred between 2012 and 2022, the infants being one to three months old when they died. Most of the accidents occurred when the infants were unrestrained and bedding materials were added to the swing, according to the alert.
About 2.1 million of the cradle swings sold in the United States, 99,000 in Canada and roughly 500 in Mexico.
All 21 models of the swing are being recalled.
Ole Braatelien has written for The Western Journal since 2022. He earned his bachelor’s from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
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