Problems with plastic hardware are the culprit in yet another drop-side crib recall, this time affecting about 2.1 million Stork Craft cribs in the U.S. and Canada. It's not just one problem that lead to the Stork Craft crib recall, though. The plastic hardware can break or warp over time, or could get lost. Some people have accidentally installed the drop side upside-down, which also causes hardware problems. All of these issues can lead to part of the crib's drop side detaching, allowing enough space between the crib and mattress for a baby to become entrapped and suffocate.
According to CPSC, there have been 15 reports of entrapment, including four cases of suffocation. Another 20 kids have fallen from the cribs, which is a risk when the drop side detaches entirely.
This Stork Craft recall affects more than 1.2 million cribs in the U.S. and another 968,000 cribs in Canada. All Stork Craft drop-side cribs manufactured between Jan. 1993 and Oct. 2009 with plastic trigger and one-hand-system drop-side hardware are recalled. Also included in this recall are Fisher Price brand drop-side cribs manufactured between Oct. 1997 and Dec. 2004. You can find the manufacturer name and date of manufacture on the assembly instruction sheet, which is attached to the mattress support board.
If you have a Stork Craft crib that is included in this recall, you should stop using it immediately. Stork Craft will send free repair kits to crib owners, but you should find a different spot for baby to sleep in the meantime. To order your repair kit, call 877-274-0277 or visit storkcraft.com.
Note: The repair kit is designed to fix the drop side into place permanently so it does not move. CPSC has included a specific warning about trying to repair the crib on your own, in any way. Please wait for the repair kit. According to the Associated Press, when speaking about the Stork Craft recall, CPSC chairman Inez Tenenbaum suggested that parents should consider abandoning the recalled cribs entirely.
- Current Baby Products Recalls
- CPSC's Stork Craft Drop-Side Cribs Recall Page
- What Are the Safety Issues with Drop-Side Cribs?
- MSNBC: Largest Crib Recall in U.S. History Announced
- New Crib Safety Standards in Wake of Stork Craft Recall
- AP: CPSC Chief - Agency Moved Too Slowly On Crib Safety
- Canada.com: 1 Million Cribs Recalled Across Canada
Photo credit: Stork Craft drop-side crib and label courtesy of CPSC.gov.