Two small children tragically died after they zipped themselves into a Target brand “Pillowfort” Weighted Blanket and could not escape the blanket cover.  In three separate, additional incidents, other children also became entrapped within the blanket cover but survived.

This product is deadly, and today’s action to immediately recall the product and offer a refund to consumers is the only acceptable path forward.

The company worked quickly with CPSC to issue a swift and innovative recall.

However, I abstained from voting to approve this recall because it contains a provision that should not exist in recalls: requiring a receipt to receive the full remedy of a cash refund.  This requirement is particularly inappropriate because Pillowfort is a brand only sold at Target stores—it could not have been bought anywhere else.  Our goal is to get as many unreasonably dangerous products out of people’s homes as possible.  Unnecessary receipt requirements stand in the way of that goal.  I expect that future recalls will not contain receipt requirements.

Target Recalls Children’s Pillowfort Weighted Blankets Due to Asphyxiation Hazard; Two Fatalities Reported