Infant deaths are linked infant sleeper
Fisher-Price’s popular Rock ‘n Play infant sleepers have been under substantial scrutiny lately as multiple infant deaths have been linked to the product. On April 8, 2019, Consumer Reports urged Fisher-Price and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to recall the Rock ‘n Play infant sleepers, linking the product to thirty-two (32) infant deaths. On April 12, 2019, Fisher-Price recalled approximately 4.7 million of its Rock ‘n Play infant sleepers, citing the infant deaths and telling parents to immediately stop using the infant sleepers with the option of returning the sleepers to Fisher-Price.
Consumer Reports Recommends Recall of Infant Sleepers Similar to the Rock ‘n Play
Fisher-Price is not alone in Consumer Reports’ requests for the recall of infant sleepers. After a thorough investigation, Consumer Reports discovered that four (4) infant deaths are linked to infant sleepers much like Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Play. The specific infant sleepers at issue are the Ingenuity Moonlight Rocking Sleeper and the Bright Starts Playtime to Bedtime Sleeper, both manufactured by Kids II. While the Bright Starts sleeper was discontinued in 2016, the Ingenuity Moonlight Sleeper is still on the market.
Why Are Certain Infant Sleepers So Dangerous?
While many parents love infant sleepers that also rock and sit at an incline, the alarming number of infant deaths has parents, doctors, experts, and the general public asking why some infant sleepers are linked to deaths. According to Consumer Reports, the sleepers linked to infant deaths do not meet medical experts’ safe sleep recommendations for infants. One expert states that “[b]abies should be put to bed alone, on their backs, on a flat, firm surface in their own space. If any infant sleep product doesn’t align with this advice, the CPSC should get it off the market right away, so that parents and caregivers don’t unwittingly put their babies at risk.”
In addition to Consumer Reports, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also pushed for Fisher-Price and the CPSC to recall Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Play sleeper. The AAP “does not recommend inclined sleep products like the Rock ‘n Play, or any other products for sleep that require restraining an infant.” While all products have risks, the Rock ‘n Play, and similar infant sleepers seem to do exactly what experts say not to do – place an infant in an inclined sleeper with instructions to restrain the infant. The restraints are intended to prevent an infant from turning over, but such restraints have proven to be useless in the case of more than thirty deaths. For example, if a parent falls asleep and forgets to restrain the infant, the infant may turn over and suffocate.
Warning parents to restrain their babies may help some parents avoid a tragedy, but Fisher-Price and other manufacturers of similar infant sleepers should foresee that some situations may make it difficult or impossible to properly restrain an infant, especially when the infant is a newborn with very tired parents.
Contact Parker Waichman LLP Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation
If your child has sustained serious or fatal injuries you believe are linked to Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Play or similar infant sleepers, speaking with a Product Liability Lawyer can help you understand whether you have legal options to seek compensation. At Parker Waichman LLP, our legal team helps injured victims from all across the United States, with substantial experience handling complex consumer and pharmaceutical product liability cases. To speak with one of our lawyers, contact our office today by calling (800) YOUR-LAWYER (968-7529) to schedule your free consultation.
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