Inflatable playrings
CPSC Recall #00-172 — August 28, 2000
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 00-172 |
| Recall Date | August 28, 2000 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 18,000 |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Walmart stores |
| and One Step Ahead |
| a mail-order company |
| sold the playrings from July 1998 through April 2000 for between $20 and $35. |
Product
Inflatable playrings
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), KinderkidsTM, of Lawrence, Kan., voluntarily recalled about 18,000 inflatable playrings. Babies sit inside the playring, which is used as an activity center and looks like a pool float. When a baby leans his face against the side of the playring, the soft surface covers the baby's nose and mouth, restricting airflow, and posing the risk of suffocation.CPSC has received one report of a 6-month-old baby found gasping for air after falling asleep face down in the playring. The baby was removed from the playring without injury. CPSC is aware of infant suffocation deaths when their airflow is restricted from contact with soft surfaces.The recalled playring, which measures 40 inches in diameter, has a yellow, plastic, inflatable, inner tube with a multicolor cloth covering. The cloth covering features eight activities for babies, including a boat rattle, a mirror flower, a soft teether on a puppy's collar, a butterfly, and a squeak ball and fish. A tag on the bottom of the cloth covering reads "Warning!" and "Recommended for children 6 to 18 months." The packaging reads, "Discovery Playring," "MADE IN CHINA" and "Not to be used in water." They are sold with plastic foot pumps for inflating the playrings.Walmart stores, and One Step Ahead, a mail-order company, sold the playrings from July 1998 through April 2000 for between $20 and $35.Consumers should stop using the playrings immediately and discard or destroy these products. The firm is out of business and cannot be contacted, and a refund is no longer available.
Hazard
When a baby leans his or her face against the side of the playring, the soft surface covers the baby's nose and mouth, restricting airflow, and posing the risk of suffocation.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC has received one report of a 6-month-old baby found gasping for air after falling asleep face down in the playring. The baby was removed from the playring without injury. CPSC is aware of infant suffocation deaths when their airflow is restricted from contact with soft surfaces.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the playrings immediately and discard or destroy these products. The firm is out of business and cannot be contacted, and a refund is no longer available.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.