The strangulation death of a 3-year-old in Fresno, CA has prompted the recall of 300,000 hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings. The boy died last year when the drawstring on the sweatshirt he was wearing became stuck on a slide.

According to the notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall was made by Hill Sportswear Inc., of Paramount, CA. The sweatshirts came in two styles, pullover and zipped, with drawstrings through the hood. They were sold primarily in California and Texas. (Read the recall notice.)

As we've written here before, drawstrings pose a hazard to children and the CPSC has issued a series of clothing recalls. This is the 18th and largest recall of children’s outerwear due to drawstrings since December 2007, CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson told the Associated Press.

“It is critically important that manufacturers stop making children’s outerwear with drawstrings and that parents respond immediately to this recall by removing the drawstring and calling the company for the remedy they are entitled to,” Wolfson said.

It’s been more than 10 years since the CPSC issued guidelines directing manufacturers to follow a voluntary industry standard limiting drawstrings in children’s garments. Although the standard is voluntary, the CPSC has been enforcing the no-drawstring agreement as if it were a mandatory federal rule and has been issuing fines to companies that do not observe it.

Until the standards become mandatory, the CPSC recommends that parents inspect their children's clothing and completely remove hood and neck drawstrings when they find them. Merely shortening the drawstrings may still present a strangulation hazard. The agency also recommends that consumers purchase children’s outerwear with alternative closures such as snaps, buttons, Velcro and elastic.