Recalls

Simplicity Cribs Recalled

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced one of the largest child-product safety alerts in years. It involves about 900,000 Simplicity bassinets, specifically the Simplicy 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible "Close Sleeper" bassinets with an older design. Some carried the Graco and Disney "Winnie the Pooh" brand names.

Jamie Schaefer-Wilson from Consumer Reports explains what's so dangerous about the bassinets. "You need to detach the fabric to turn it from a bassinet into a co-sleeper so that you may actually push the bassinet right up against the adult bed. The problem is it can create a dangerous opening which would actually allow a baby to slip through and become entrapped or strangle or suffocate."

Indeed, two children have died that way, one last year and the other in August, prompting the recall. The family of the second child is still grieving her loss. "My sister has said the "What ifs?" a thousand times," says Melissa Brotherton, aunt of 6-year old Kennedy.

Newer Simplicity bassinets have a different design that eliminates the suffocation hazard by permanently attaching the fabric to the bassinet's lower metal frame bar, eliminating the dangerous opening. But Consumer reports recommends using a full-sized crib instead of a bassinet. Consumer Reports also says that the company that purchased Simplicy, S-F-C-A has refused to cooperate with this recall, so individual retailers that sold the bassinets are working with the government to get out the word.

Find out more about the recall at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08396.html

An additional Simplicity recall (cribs): http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08401.html

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