In September, a 7-month-old child from Princeton, Kentucky became entrapped and died in a Simplicity crib when a part of it broke. On July 2, the CPSC issued a recall describing the death of an 8-month-old child from Houston, Texas who became entrapped and suffocated between the drop side and the crib mattress when a plastic connector on the drop side broke. The agency is also aware of an additional 25 incidents involving the drop side detaching from the crib.
To date, the CPSC has recalled over 2 million Simplicity drop-side cribs due to problems with the crib’s plastic hardware. The plastic hardware can break or deform, causing the drop side to detach. When the drop side detaches, it creates a space between the drop side and the crib mattress. Infants and toddlers can roll into this space and become entrapped which can lead to suffocation.
Previous Simplicity crib recalls were issued in December 2005, June 2007, September 2007, September 2008 and July 2009.
In fact, all Simplicity drop-side cribs have been recalled. Some of the model numbers include but are not limited to: 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8050, 8324, 8325, 8620, 8740, 8745, 8748, 8750, 8755, 8756, 8760, 8765, 8778, 8800, 8810, 8910, 8993, 8994, 8995, 8996. The recalled drop-side cribs were sold in department stores, children’s stores, and mass merchandisers nationwide from January 2005 through June 2009 for between $150 and $300.
News articles are expressing alarm that parents are still using recalled cribs. If you think about it, the economic conditions are not good right now, these are young parents struggling to survive. Maybe this is their second baby and they are using a crib from baby number 1. No showers and big gifts for baby number 2. Stores are offering refunds of 30.00 for the crib that will cost 200 to replace! So do they not pay a bill or not eat in order to pay for a new crib?
I have a used drop side crib that my daughter bought for us to have at the house when our infant grandchildren stay. I have used it for 8 years without incident and check it frequently for any broken parts. My question is how do you expect short people to place a baby in a crib without lowering the side. Even standing on a step stool(pretty dangerous when carrying a sleeping infant) I cannot reach low enough to gently place the baby on the mattress when it's in the lowest position. I would have to drop the child the last 6 inches. My daughter is shorter than I and has a non-drop side crib at her home and reports the same difficulty. Due to your reports I am shopping for a safe crib tomorrow. Are there any that are affordable? Thanks for the warnings. I always check with Consumer Reports before making a purchase.
My daughter is having a baby soon and she has had the same concerns about the drop-side crib. In spite of the recalls, she ended up buying a drop-side crib because she is too short to reach over the top of a fixed side crib. I also purchased a drop-side to keep at my house because I would have the same problem. I think there is a greater likelihood of dropping the baby while standing on a stepstool than the drop-side breaking. Has anyone addressed the problem? What can be done?
I have the 8993 modle number it has not been recalled FYI
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