Fisher-Price issues urgent warning over rocking cradle after 10 babies die

The death of ten babies has been linked to the Rock 'n Play sleeper sold by Fisher-Price (Photo: Shutterstock)The death of ten babies has been linked to the Rock 'n Play sleeper sold by Fisher-Price (Photo: Shutterstock)
The death of ten babies has been linked to the Rock 'n Play sleeper sold by Fisher-Price (Photo: Shutterstock)

Fisher-Price has issued an urgent warning after the deaths of 10 babies have been linked to the brand's sleeper cradle.

Parents are being urged to discontinue use of the Rock 'n Play Sleeper after it was found to put infants' lives at risk.

‘Thousands’ sold

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The warning was jointly issued by Fisher-Price and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), who said it was aware that 10 infant deaths had occurred in the sleeper since 2015.

Consumer Reports put the number of infant deaths associated with the sleeper as high as 32.

While these deaths occurred in the United States, Fisher-Price confirmed that "thousands" of the cradles have also been sold here in the UK.

The toy company told The Sun that the products were sold by one specific retailer, although refused to name the exact number or confirm the store.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The sleeper does appear to have previously been sold on Amazon, although the web pages have since been removed.

Warning to parents

Parents who own the cradle have been urged to stop using it once their child reaches the age of three months, or as soon as they can rollover unaided.

The babies affected - who were all three months or older - all died after rolling from their back onto their stomach or side while unrestrained, according to the CPSC.

While it is still unclear why this resulted in death, reports suggest it was because it left the infants unable to breathe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Consumer Reports put the number of infant deaths associated with the sleeper as high as 32 (Photo: Fisher-Price)

No product recall

Despite the urgent warning, Fisher-Price and the CPSC have not issued a recall of the product and Fisher-Price said it will not offer refunds to customers who have purchased the sleeper.

This comes despite the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) - an organisation made up of more than 65,000 children's healthcare professionals - calling for an immediate recall.

The AAP said infants should always sleep on their back, on a separate, flat and firm sleep surface without any bumpers or bedding. The Fisher-Price sleeper is tilted at an incline.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kyle Yasuda, president of the APP, said, "There is convincing evidence that the Rock ‘n Play inclined sleeper puts infants’ lives at risk, and CPSC must step up and take immediate action to remove it from stores and prevent further tragedies.”

A spokesperson for Fisher-Price commented, "Generations of parents have trusted us for almost 90 years to provide safe products for their children. We are there with you from the moment you bring your child home and take our responsibility for product safety very seriously.

"The CPSC and Fisher-Price have jointly issued an alert warning parents and caregivers to discontinue use of the Rock 'n Play Sleeper when infants begin to roll over.

"To ensure a safe sleep environment for infants, we remind parents and caregivers to follow all safety warnings included with the product: always use the provided restraints, always place infants on their backs to sleep, and make sure that no pillows, blankets or extra padding are placed in the Rock 'n Play Sleeper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The Rock 'n Play Sleeper meets all applicable safety standards, including those of the international standards organisation, known as ASTM International, and is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA)."

This article originally appeared on our sister site, The Yorkshire Post