Recall Issued for Drop Side Cribs Implicated in Three Infant Deaths

Three infant deaths have prompted a recall of all <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/product_liability">Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” drop side cribs. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning parents to immediately stop using these recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. The agency also said that consumers should NOT attempt to repair these dangerous drop side cribs.

According to the CPSC, the crib’s plastic hardware can break which can cause the drop side of the crib to detach from a corner of the crib. When the drop side detaches, it creates a space into which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped, which can lead to the child’s suffocation or strangulation. In addition, the crib’s mattress support can detach from the crib frame, creating a hazardous space in which an infant or toddler could become entrapped and suffocate or strangle.

Three infants have suffocated after becoming entrapped between the crib mattress and the drop side when the drop side detached. In July 2007, an eight month old child from Newark, Ohio suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The drop side of his crib had detached due to a broken plastic stop tab on the lower track. In October 2003, an eight month old child from Richmond, Ind. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and the crib mattress. The plastic hardware on the drop side was broken and allowed the drop side to detach from the crib headboard in one corner. In September 2002, a six month old from Staunton, Va. suffocated when he became entrapped between the drop side and crib mattress. The lower drop side track was missing two screws which allowed it to pull away from the headboard post and detach.

The CPSC has also received reports of 20 other drop side incidents, 12 of which involved the drop side detaching in a corner of the crib. In two of these incidents, a child became entrapped. One child suffered bruising from the entrapment. There are five reports of children falling out of the cribs due to drop side detachment. One child suffered a broken arm as a result of the fall.

In addition, the CPSC has received 8 reports of mattress support detachment in these cribs. Due to the space created by the detachment, three children became entrapped between the crib frame and the sagging mattress and four children crawled out of the crib. There was one report of cuts and bruises.

Because Generation 2 went out of business in 2005, the CPSC has limited information about the cribs. It is believed that there were more than 500,000 of these cribs sold to consumers. Some of the known model numbers are: 10-110X, 10-210X, 21-110X, 20-710X, 64-315X, 26-110X, 90-257X, 20-810X, 46-715X, 64-311X, 74-315X, 21-815X, 21-810X, 20815X, 308154 and 54915. (The “X” denotes where an additional and varying number may appear at the end of the model number.) However, all Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” drop side cribs are included in this recall, including those with other model numbers.

The name “Generation 2 Worldwide” appears on a label affixed to the crib’s headboard or footboard. Some labels identify the place of manufacture as Dothan, Ala. Others identify China as the country of manufacture. The name “ChildESIGNS” appears on the teething rail of some of the cribs.

The recalled cribs were sold at numerous local furniture and retail stores including Buy Buy Baby, and Kmart and Walmart stores nationwide for between $60 and $160. Consumers should contact the store from which they purchased the crib for remedy information, which will vary between a refund, replacement crib or store credit, depending on the retailer.

Consumers are urged to contact the CPSC and report any difficulties in obtaining a remedy from their place of purchase.