The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the independent agency of the United States government tasked with regulating the sale and manufacture of consumer products and banning those that are dangerous to public health, is mincing no words regarding the recall this week of several models of a baby recliner.
The Nap Nanny is flawed by design defects and other material shortcomings. The commission states that it “poses a substantial risk of injury and death to infants.”
That assessment is anything but hypothetical. Since Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, first began manufacturing the initial versions of its baby recliner in 2009, five infant deaths have been reported, along with multiple injuries.
Baby Matters is not participating in the recall, having reportedly gone out of business. Four retailers that have sold large numbers of its recliner models — namely, Amazon.com, Toys R Us/Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby and Diapers.com — have agreed to work with the CPSC in efforts to recall more than 150,000 Nap Nanny recliners. The recall is of national scope and includes recliners purchased by New Jersey residents.
Although Baby Matters has issued a statement maintaining that its products are safe and that the CPSC complaint is overstated, the agency is dismissive of the claim and states that the company’s recliners are defective across a broad front of relevant concerns. In addition to the cited manufacturing defects, the CPSC also points to inadequate product warnings and instructions.
This is the second recall of the foam recliner in recent years. The current call back pertains to the Nap Nanny Generations One and Two models and the Chill model baby recliner. Fatalities and injuries have been caused by infants hanging out or falling over the side of the recliners.
Concerned consumers can obtain further information by contacting any of the four retailers involved in the recall.
If you or a family member has been injured by a dangerous or defective product, please contact Breslin & Breslin for a free consultation.
Source: NBC News, “Stores to recall 150,000 Nap Nanny recliners after deaths,” Dec. 27, 2012
