A Fisher-Price infant sleeper that was recalled for a second time this week has been linked to the deaths of 70 more infants since its first recall in 2019.
The Rock ‘n Play Sleepers have now been linked to a total of 100 deaths of newborn and young children over 13 years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Around 4.7 million of the baby bassinets were sold at major retailers and between 2009 and 2019.
After the deaths of 30 infants in the sleepers, the CPSC announced on 12 April 2019 a recall by Fisher-Prive.
“Since the recall, approximately 70 additional fatalities have been reported, which includes at least eight fatalities that were reported to have occurred after the initial recall announcement,” the commission said in a statement.
It advised consumers to stop using the sleepers “immediately”, and said it was illegal to sell or distribute them.
The Rock ‘n Play Sleepers’ unusual design was dangerous because they forced babies to sleep at a 30 degree incline, causing them to roll from their back onto their stomach and side when unrestrained, according to Consumer Reports.
An investigation found that by the end of 2020, 18 months after the first recall had been issued, Fisher-Price had accounted for fewer than 10 per cent of the sleepers, according to Consumer Reports.
Executives from Fisher-Price and parent company Mattel were hauled before the House Oversight Committee in 2021 to testify about their products and safety practices.
The sleepers were manufactured in China and imported by Fisher-Price, and sold at Amazon, Walmart and Target.
Anyone who still has one can return them for a full refund to voucher by going to a consumer support website set up by Mattel.
