What Happened
Approximately 635,000 Dorel Asia Cribs were recalled in the United States by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Dorel Asia SRL, of Barbados, due to the risk of suffocation and strangulation hazards to infants and toddlers.
What This Means
The recall includes 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs with both drop-side and fixed front rails. On the drop-side cribs, the hardware can fail causing the drop-side to detach from the crib. When this happens, it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can become entrapped and suffocate or strangle.
In addition, damaged slats in the recalled cribs can pose a serious entrapment and strangulation hazard. Damage to the slats can occur while the crib is in use, in storage, being put together, taken apart, or shipped.
The manufacturer and the CPSC received reports of the death of a 6-month-old in Iowa as well as 67 other incidents. In the case of the infant death, the child became entrapped and strangled after the parents had attempted to repair the crib on their own after the drop-side hardware broke.
Of the 67 incidents reported, 31 of those were drop-side incidents. In six of those, children had become entrapped between the drop-side and the crib mattress. Thirty-six incidents of slat breakage were also reported, including seven reports of bruises and scratches to children and two reports of entrapment that did not result in injury.
Where This Product Was Sold
K-Mart, Sears, and Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009 for between $120 and $700.
What to Do Next
Immediately stop using the recalled cribs, find a safe alternative sleep environment for any children affected by the recall, and contact Dorel Asia to receive a free replacement kit, which includes the slatted crib rails and a drop-side immobilizer (if applicable). The kits will be available within the next several weeks.
Call Dorel Asia at (866) 762-2304 between 8 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. ET Monday through Friday, or go to the firm's website: www.dorel-asia.com.
For More Information
- CPSC: for descriptions, model numbers, and photos of the recalled cribs
Recall date: January 19, 2010
