Crib Recalls: What Every Parent Should Know

Crib Recalls: What Every Parent Should Know

When parents purchase a baby bed or crib, they expect that it is safe for use. However, many baby beds and cribs, even some of the most trusted brands, prove to be hazardous for infants and small children. Every year, thousands of cribs are recalled due to defects, but many are not recalled in time to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.

Due to defective designs and components, cribs can cause a variety of injuries, and even fatalities. If a child is injured or killed by a defective crib, the manufacturer of that product can be held liable for injuries or death caused to the child, as well as failing to warn the consumer of the danger of the product under certain circumstances. According to Reno, NV product liability attorneys at the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, “crib recall lawsuits often involve complex legal questions related to product liability. When a defective product is reported, it can be voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer or legally recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to protect the general public from harm.”

Since 2000, at least 32 deaths have been attributed to drop-side cribs. In December 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission declared a ban on the sale of drop- side cribs in the United States. The ban was instigated due to the large number of injuries and fatalities caused by the cribs. As a result of the ban, numerous manufacturers of drop-side cribs recalled millions of cribs. Manufacturers included major brands such as Jardine Drop-Side Cribs sold by Toys R’ Us; Jenny-Lind Drop-Side Cribs sold by Evenflo; and Million Dollar Baby Cribs, a popular brand. In 2015, Bexco recalled 11,700 DaVinci Cribs with defective metal mattress supports. Broken supports created a gap between the crib frame and mattress which allowed a child to become entrapped in the crib. In 2016, Bexco added 6,000 more DaVinci cribs to its national recall.

Child safety experts recommend that parents follow CPSC safety guidelines and check the crib recall list at www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs before purchasing a crib.