A sixth baby’s death in the United States is being blamed on the Nap Nanny Recliner, which has been the subject of recalls and lawsuits.
The baby, an 8-month-old infant girl from Hopatcong, New Jersey, was secured by a belt and discovered partially hanging over the side of the Nap Nanny Recliner, according to CBS New York. The baby was trapped between the recliner and a crib bumper.
This recent death prompted the U.S. Consumer and Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to urge parents and caregivers to immediately cease use of the Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill Recliners, according to CBS New York. According to a WCBS 880 report, the product was pulled from store shelves in June, 2013 following 92 incidents that included five infant deaths that go back as far as 2009.
CPSC spokesman, Scott Wolfson, said, “This is a product that should be out of homes and we urge all parents to stop using the product,” according to CBS New York. Prior to the recall, about 165,000 Nap Nanny Recliners were sold, said Wolfson. The danger associated with these products comes from the second-hand market. “Don’t sell it at a garage sale. Don’t take it back to a local thrift store. Don’t put it on eBay or Craigslist. Just throw it away,” Wolfson said.
Five babied died by either falling or hanging over the side of a Nap Nanny Recliner that had been placed in the infant’s crib, according to the CPSC Blog. Two babies were secured by a belt, including the recent baby who died, and another baby died in a Nap Nanny that was placed on the floor.
The CPSC indicated that its “Safe to Sleep” experts have urged all parents and caregivers to stop using the Nap Nanny Recliners immediately, stating that, “We do not want any other family to suffer the loss of their child or experience serious injury to their child.” According to the CPSC blog, since 2010, safety issues associated with the Nap Nanny products have been discussed in recalls, a safety blog, and a legal settlement that was brought against the now-defunct firm.
The CPSC indicated that deaths occur when the baby partly falls or hangs over the side of the Nap Nanny and becomes trapped between the Nap Nanny and crib bumpers, or when the baby suffocates on the inside of the recliner.
The recalled Nap Nanny Recliners should not be sold in stores, but may turn up at yard sales and online auction sites and may be given as a hand-me-down gift. The CPSC indicated that it is aware that some consumers have posted online promoting the Nap Nanny Recliners, and warns that the products are hazardous and that it is illegal to sell or re-sell the recliners. Deaths have occurred in Generation 2 (Gen 2) and Chill models of the Nap Nanny Recliners.
Of the six deaths, five occurred in a Nap Nanny that was placed inside of a crib with a crib bumper; the caregivers believed the babies would be safe. According to the CPSC, the safest place for a baby is in a bare crib, on the baby’s back, and without the addition of pillows, cushions, quilts, or comforters to a crib, or to a bassinet or play yard.
The CPSC continues to urge consumers to immediately cease use of any Nap Nanny or Nap Nanny Chill Recliners, which were manufactured by Baby Matters LLC, which is no longer in business and which is not accepting return of these items. Meanwhile, in December 2012, four large sellers—Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com, and Toys R Us/Babies R Us—announced that they were voluntarily recalling all Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill Recliners sold in their stores. Consumers who purchased these products from one of these retailers should contact the store for instructions on how to obtain a refund.
