Four babies died after being in this soothing rocker. Now Fisher-Price issues recall
Two Fisher-Price baby soothing rockers have been recalled after one of the products led to four infant deaths in the last two years, officials say.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recalls Friday for Fisher-Price’s 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide Soothers and 2-in-1 Soothe ‘n Play Gliders.
All four deaths, which span from April 2019 to February 2020, involved the 4-in-1 product. The 2-in-1 glider was included in the recall because the products are similar, according to Fisher-Price.
Infants who are placed unrestrained on their backs in the soothing rockers are at risk of suffocation if they end up on their stomachs, the CPSC said.
The deaths were of a 4-month-old child in Missouri, 2-month-old from Nevada, 2-month-old from Michigan and 11-week-old baby form Colorado.
“There is nothing more important to Fisher-Price than the safety of our products and the trust that families put in us,” said Chuck Scothon, general manager of Fisher-Price. “These incidents are indeed heart-breaking. We are committed to educating parents and caregivers on the safe use of all of our products, including the importance of following all warnings and instructions to ensure the health and safety of babies and children.”
Refunds are available at www.service.mattel.com, and Fisher-Price said consumers should stop using the products immediately.
About 175,000 of the gliders were sold from 2014 to 2020 at nationwide retailers, including Walmart, Target and Amazon.
It’s the latest significant recall of a Fisher-Price baby product. In 2019, the company recalled 4.7 million Rock ‘n Play Sleepers, which resulted in 30 deaths, according to the CPSC.
Earlier this week, the CPSC announced it will begin setting safety standards for infant sleeper products to ensure a safe sleep environment.
“Today’s vote ensures that when a product is intended or marketed for sleep, it will indeed be safe for an infant to sleep,” CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler said in a statement.
The best place for a baby to sleep, according to the safety commission, “is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2021 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Four babies died after being in this soothing rocker. Now Fisher-Price issues recall."