Fisher-Price has recalled its Rock ‘n Play Sleeper product, which has been linked to over 30 infant deaths in the last 10 years.
The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has drawn the link between the Rock ‘n Play Sleepers and the string of infant deaths, according to a report by CNN. The commission announced that about 4.7 million sleepers will be impacted by the recall. The CPSC’s acting chairwoman, Ann Marie Buerkle explained the steps for consumers in a statement.
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“I’m urging parents to stop using this product immediately and to contact Fisher-Price for a refund or a voucher,” she said.
Fisher-Price general manager Chuck Scothon responded as well, saying that the recall was the “best course of action” for the sleepers. However, he said that in general, Fisher Price stands by the safety of all of its other products.
“With these actions, we want parents around the world to know that safety will always be a cornerstone of our mission, that we are committed to these values, and will continue to prioritize the health, safety and well-being of the infants and preschoolers who utilize our products,” Scothon said.
The commission and Fisher-Price began by issuing an official warning about the Rock ‘n Play Sleepers last week. That prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to urge the company to issue an immediate recall. According to a statement by the commission on Friday, “over 30 infant fatalities have occurred in Rock ‘n Play Sleepers, after the infants rolled over while unrestrained, or under other circumstances” since 2009.
Neither Fisher-Price nor the CPSC have specified what specifically caused the infants’ deaths. However, Keenan and Evan Overton told reporters that their 5-month-old son Ezra passed away in the sleeper after he turned over in the chair and suffocated.
“I looked up and I found him in a standing position but faced down in the chair, his face was on the back of the seat and he was already passed away. I picked him up and his face was already blue and his nose was squished in,” Keenan Overton told CNN.
The commission initially linked the sleepers to just 10 deaths, though an addition Consumer Report analysis brought that number up to 32 deaths between 2011 and 2018. Buerkle issued a video statement urging parents to report incidents like this so that the commission can investigate.
“I urge consumers to report any incidents with inclined sleepers or other nursery products to CPSC at saferproducts.gov,” she said. “As a mother and grandmother there’s nothing more important to me than the safety of our children.”
