Legal News

As has been fully reported in Findlaw's Common Law, the CPSC has issued recalls regarding the drop side crib, the most recent from Storkcraft. The CPSC has just announced a new effort to find and recall drop side cribs by the makers Simplicity Inc. and SFCA Inc., of Reading, Pa. The Commission believes the companies are no longer in day-to-day operations.

The CPSC has been made aware of the death of an infant in September 2009, due to suffocation when part of the child's crib broke. The plastic hardware on the recalled cribs can break or warp causing the sides to detach. When the drop side of the crib detaches, an infant or toddler can become stuck in the space formed between the mattress and crib, which can lead to suffocation. The CPSC has recalled over 2 million Simplicity drop side cribs in December 2005, June 2007, September 2007, September 2008 and July 2009.

All Simplicity drop side cribs have been recalled. Some of the model numbers recalled include but are not limited to the following: 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8050, 8324, 8325, 8620, 8740, 8745, 8748, 8750, 8755, 8756, 8760, 8765, 8778, 8800, 8810, 8910, 8993, 8994, 8995, 8996.

The recalled drop side cribs were sold in department stores, children's stores, and mass merchandisers nationwide from January 2005 through June 2009 for between $150 and $300.

The CPSC is asking that parents and caregivers check cribs to see if they are using one of the recalled Simplicity cribs. Consumers are asked to stop using the cribs immediately and not to attempt to fix the cribs themselves but to contact the retailer where they purchased the crib for information. Please go to the CPSC site for the full text of the recall and more information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/simplicity.pdf.

Related Resources:

• 1.6 Million Cribs Recalled Due to Suffocation Risk (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Report Unsafe Products (CPSC)
• General Buying Tips - Product Safety Recalls (FindLaw)
• Defective and Dangerous Products - Legal Issues (FindLaw)
• Defective Products and Product Liability (provided by Dallas W. Hartman P.C.)
• FAQ Personal Injury Wrongful Death (provided by Ronald D. Michael, P.A.)