Legal News

Last week, the CPSC warned consumers about the dangers of baby sling carriers. On March 24, the CPSC in conjunction with Infantino LLC, of San Diego, Calif., announced a full recall of Infantino ?SlingRider? and ?Wendy Bellissimo? infant slings. Infantino has instituted a program to provide consumers with a replacement product free of charge. The CPSC asks consumers who have purchased the slings to stop using them immediately due to a risk of suffocation. The CPSC is aware of three reports of deaths that occurred in these slings in 2009; a 7-week-old infant in Philadelphia, Pa.; a 6-day-old infant in Salem, Ore.; and a 3-month-old infant in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Infantino ?SlingRider,? is a soft fabric baby carrier with a padded shoulder strap that is worn by parents and caregivers to carry an infant weighing up to 20 lbs. ?Infantino? is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. The words ?Infantino,? and ?SlingRider? and the item number are printed on the instruction/warning label inside the sling.

The ?Wendy Bellissimo? branded sling carriers were sold exclusively at Babies ?R? Us and have a sewn-in label on the inside of the sling strap that says in part, "Wendy Bellissimo Media, Inc." and lists item numbers 3937500H7 and 3937501H7.

The Infantino slings were sold in the United States and Canada from January 2003 through March 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies ?R? Us, BJ?s Wholesale, various baby and children?s stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the Web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30.

Infantino will provide consumers with a with a choice of a Wrap & Tie infant carrier, a 2 in 1 Shopping Cart Cover, or a 3 in 1 Grow & Play Activity Gym as a replacement for the slings. A Jittery Pals Rattle will also be provided. Consumers may contact Infantino toll-free at (866) 860-1361 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm?s Web site at www.infantino.com for more information or to receive the replacement product.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx to report a problem.

Related Resources:

• Infantino Recalls to Replace SlingRider Baby Slings; Three Infant Deaths Reported (CPSC)
• CPSC Issues Warning Regarding Baby Sling Safety (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Baby deaths raise concerns about Infantino slings (Consumer Reports Safety Blog, 2009)
• Baby Hammock Bed Maker Sued Over Infant Death (FindLaw's Injured)
• Products Liability FAQ (provided by Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman)
• The Wrongful Death of a Child or an Elderly Person (provided by Beale, Micheaels & Slack, P.C.)