| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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| June 2, 1986 |
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| Release # 86-036 |
Issues Complaint Seeking Recall Of Johnson & Johnson Crib Toys
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced that its staff has issued a Complaint against Johnson & Johnson Baby Products Co., Inc. seeking a recall of over 1.6 million crib toys because of alleged strangulation hazards to infants. The Commission authorized issuance of the Complaint by a 3-l vote with Acting Chairman Graham and Commissioners Scanlon and.,Armstrong voting for the Complaint and Commissioner Dawson voting against it. Commissioner Statler recused himself from participating in this matter.
The Complaint alleges two young children have strangled on the toys. A 10 month old boy died in Temple Hills, Maryland, in October, 1984, when he became entangled in the strings tying a Soft Triplet toy across his crib. A seven month old girl died in Coronado, California in December, 1985, when she was caught by the neck on top of a Triplet stretched across her crib.
The Soft Triplet, Piglet Crib Gym, and Triplets Marching Band toys can be hung across cribs and playpens and used as crib gyms. Consumers use their own strings or cords to tie the Soft Triplets and Marching Band toys. Once children can raise their heads over the strings or over the toy, they can get caught and strangle.
Over 1.6 million Soft Triplets were sold by mail order from 1979 to March of 1986 through magazines such as Parents, American Baby, and Baby Talk. About 62,000 Piglets and 3,000 Marching Band toys were sold through retail outlets nationwide, the Piglets from 1982 to 1984 and the Marching Band from 1985 to March to 1986.
The toys consist of three soft doll-like figures held together with elastic and with plastic rings at each end and are advertised for use from birth to 24 months.
The staff believes these toys are dangerous and should be removed from cribs and playpens immediately. While Johnson & Johnson is conducting a warning campaign against hanging the toys in cribs or playpens, the staff believes the toys should be recalled and removed from children's environments completely to prevent deaths and injuries.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.