Crib Injuries and Hazards
On July 2, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that approximately 400 thousand Simplicity Drop Side Cribs have been voluntarily recalled due to a suffocation hazard. To date, at least one child has died after getting his head stuck between the drop side and the crib mattress. The child was an 8-month-old from Houston, Texas. The CPSC is also aware of 25 additional defective product incidents involving the drop side detaching from the crib.
This recall is part of a long history of defective cribs leading to injury and death of young infants. In fact, according to the February issue of Pediatrics, the number of infant deaths from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB) has quadrupled over the past 2 decades, with the most significant increase occurring after 1996. ASSB includes suffocation by strangulation, such as when an infant’s head and neck become caught between crib railings.
Many of the ASSB personal injuries could have been prevented through proper design and construction materials. For example, the hardware holding up the drop side of the Simplicity Drop Side Crib was apparently made out of cheap plastic that, over time, would deform and break creating a risk of the drop side detaching.
Other ASSB crib hazards include:
- Improperly spaced slats
- Corner posts and other sharp objects
- Improper mattress design
- Instability
- Paint and finishes containing contaminants (such as lead).
If your child has died or been seriously injured due to defective design or construction of a crib or playpen, please contact the skilled Tennessee product liability attorneys at Baker Associates to learn more about your options.
