On February 9, 2023, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Baby Trend warned consumers about a risk of strollers causing entrapment, which could lead to unconsciousness, serious injury or death. According to the company warning, certain of Baby Trend’s Sit N’ Stand Double and Ultra strollers potentially cause head or neck entrapment, between a pivoting front canopy and the stroller’s arm rest or seat back.
Baby Trend received a report of a 14-month-old baby’s death by asphyxiation after its neck was entrapped in the space between the front of the canopy tube and the arm rest of a Baby Trend stroller. According to the CPSC, the baby’s father was nearby when it happened, but did not seethe baby playing with the stroller until it was too late.
Baby Trend also received a report of a 17-month-old child, who was entrapped in the space between the back of the canopy tube and the seat back of the front seat, resulting in neck bruises. According to a report filed on SaferProducts.gov, that injury happened while a family vacationed at Disneyland. The toddler, sitting in the stroller’s front seat arched his back and straightened out the rest of his body, causing his head to get stuck between the seat back and canopy umbrella.
The specific Sit N’ Stand Double and Ultra stroller models have numbers beginning SS76 or SS66, printed on a sticker on the left inside rear of the frame, near the left rear axle. These models have a black or silver frame and a black tray at the front, “Sit N’ Stand” printed in white on the sides of the frame and “Baby Trend” printed on the side of the mesh basket under the seat.
Sit N’ Stand strollers have been sold nationwide since 2009, at retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kohls and Buybuy Baby.
Baby Trend was founded in California in 1998. In 2016, Baby Trend was acquired by Alpha Group, a Chinese animation and pan-entertainment platform that started as a toy company. Baby Trend has recalled products before, including its Cityscape Travel Jogger, which had a faulty parking brake.
Stroller injuries are tragically common. A 2016 study reported in Academic Pediatrics found an average of 17,187 children treated in emergency departments annually for stroller- or carrier-related injuries. The injuries most often occurred due to a fall from the stroller or carrier, or the stroller or carrier tipping over. Though the CPSC noted a growing number of consumer complaints regarding strollers in 1999, the number of injuries per year appears to have increased.