Warning: USA recalls cots after child suffocation link

orc_2

Posted as a potential warning and for information in case any of these Stork Craft (also labelled as Fisher Price) cots found there way over to the UK. (It appears they were sold through Wal Mart and Costco.)

There does not appear to be any information which confirms that the affected cots were in fact sold in the UK, but I thought it best to post the article. I am not trying to be alarmist either and don't want to set hares running, but the article is in the public domain.

Whilst a recall is underway in USA and Canada, the UK tends to lag behind as confirmed by the recent recall of childrens buggies which was only taken after consumers forced the issue. It appears that a kit is available which removes the danger by contacting the manufacturer.

Information is included in the following BBC link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8375708.stm


"More than two million cots have been recalled in the US and Canada over fears that a defect could cause children to suffocate. The recall concerns cots made by Canadian firm Stork Craft Manufacturing, around 150,000 of which carry the Fisher Price logo.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said four child deaths were related to defective cots.
The recall involves 1.2 million cots in the US and about one million in Canada.
The cots were made and distributed between 1993 and 2009, and were sold at major retailers including Wal-Mart and Costco.
Repair kits
The commission said there was a problem with plastic sides of the cots, which could fall off, creating a dangerous space between the cot and the mattress.
"The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of the drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib," the commission explained.
It said that there had been 15 reported incidents of entrapments, four of which resulted in suffocation.
In addition, it said there were 20 incidents of infants falling from the cots, resulting in injuries that ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises.
"CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit," the commission said.
Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive the kit, it added."


If this post would be better located in another forum, please feel free to move it accordingly.

Searcher

I'm pretty sure I heard on the news that these weren't available in the UK

Mindful_Mum

Hi there, The Stork Craft and Fisher Price cots are not sold in British retail outlets. However it is possible to get in the cots in the UK via the internet. I found a listing for a drop side Stork Craft Cot on eBay this afternoon.

If you have bought a drop side cot on ebay or second hand it would be worth following some basic safety steps to make sure the cot is safe for your baby. The CPSC in the United States is investigating the safety of all drop side cots because they have had a number of complaints (over 20 since 2007.)

For more information on the Stork Craft and Fisher Price recall in the US, Mindful Mum has posted an article on the recall and some basic steps to make sure your cot is safe.