Infant seat pads

CPSC Recall #01-206 — July 23, 2001

Recall Summary

Recall Number01-206
Recall DateJuly 23, 2001
Remedy TypeReplace
Units AffectedAbout 16,000

Where It Was Sold

Department and juvenile products stores nationwide including JC Penney and One Step Ahead sold these infant seat pads from October 1998 through May 2001 for about $11.

Product

Infant seat pads

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Basic Comfort Inc., of Denver, Colo., is voluntarily recalling about 16,000 infant seat pads. The seat pad has two shoulder straps that create a v-shaped opening around the head and neck, presenting a strangulation hazard to young children.Basic Comfort received one report of an 8-month old girl who was caught by the neck in the shoulder straps of the seat pad after falling sideways off a chair. The child was removed from the seat pad without injury.The seat pad was sold under The Baby Sitter brand name. The infant seat pad is designed to restrain a child on a chair in a sitting position. It has a padded back and seat. The seat pad is attached to a chair by Velcro straps attached to the sides of the pad. The front of the seat pad has two straps attached near the top of the pad that go over a child's shoulders and connect to a single crotch strap. The seat pad is a denim blue color with white restraint straps.Department and juvenile products stores nationwide including JC Penney and One Step Ahead sold these infant seat pads from October 1998 through May 2001 for about $11.Consumers should stop using the infant pads immediately and contact Basic Comfort at (800) 456-8687 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT to receive a replacement. Consumers also can visit the firm's web site at www.basiccomfort.com.

Hazard

The seat pad has two shoulder straps that create a v-shaped opening around the head and neck, presenting a strangulation hazard to young children.

Incidents & Injuries

Basic Comfort received one report of an 8-month old girl who was caught by the neck in the shoulder straps of the seat pad after falling sideways off a chair. The child was removed from the seat pad without injury.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the infant pads immediately and contact Basic Comfort at (800) 456-8687 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT to receive a replacement. 

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.