Today, the CPSC is reannouncing two recalls of inclined infant sleepers that were issued nearly four years ago – the Fisher Price Rock n Play and the Kids2 Rocking Sleeper.
On April 12, 2019, at the time the original recall was announced, over 30 fatalities were reported to have occurred in the Rock ‘n Play Sleepers after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances. Since the recall, approximately 70 additional fatalities have been reported, which includes at least 8 fatalities that were reported to have occurred after the initial recall announcement.
Approximately 100 deaths have reportedly occurred while infants were in the products. Fisher-Price notes that in some of the reports, it has been unable to confirm the circumstances of the incidents or that the product was a Rock ‘n Play Sleeper.
The product was sold at major stores nationwide including Walmart, Target, and online at Amazon from September 2009 through April 2019 for between $40 and $149.
Statement of Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric on the Reannouncement of Two Inclined Infant Sleeper Recalls:
We are issuing this announcement because, despite their removal from the marketplace and a prohibition on their sale, babies continue to die in these products. We now know of approximately 100 infant deaths in the Rock n Play, including eight that happened after the recall was announced. And we know of 15 infants who died in the Kids2 Rocking Sleeper, including four since the announcement of the recall.
I urge all parents, grandparents, and caregivers to follow the guidance of this announcement and stop using these products immediately. Also, it is illegal to sell or distribute recalled consumer products, including on the resale market. I urge all stores, including online marketplaces, to review the products being donated or listed and stop all recalled products from being sold.
In the years since the recalls were first issued, the CPSC has taken numerous steps to ensure that products sold for infant sleep are safe. The Infant Sleep Products Rule requires that all new products sold for infant sleep meet existing safety standards and prohibits the sale of any infant sleep products with an incline of more than 10 degrees. The Safe Sleep for Babies Act, enacted by Congress in 2022, bans all inclined infant sleep products.
Unfortunately, today’s announcement highlights the fact that these products are still in too many homes, and babies continue to be put at risk. If any caregiver has concerns about whether a product is safe for their baby, they can look for recalls at saferproducts.gov. And remember that the safest place for a baby to sleep is a firm, flat surface without any blankets or pillows.
