Baby Crib Toys
CPSC Recall #86-036 - June 1, 1986
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 86-036 |
| Recall Date | June 1, 1986 |
| Remedy Type | No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | Over 1.6 million |
Where It Was Sold
| Over 1.6 million Soft Triplets were sold by mail order from 1979 to March of 1986 through magazines such as Parents |
| American Baby |
| and Baby Talk. |
Product
Baby Crib Toys
Description
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced that its staff has issued a Complaint against Johnson & Johnson Baby Products Co., Inc. seeking a recall of over 1.6 million crib toys because of alleged strangulation hazards to infants. The Commission authorized issuance of the Complaint by a 3-l vote with Acting Chairman Graham and Commissioners Scanlon and.,Armstrong voting for the Complaint and Commissioner Dawson voting against it. Commissioner Statler recused himself from participating in this matter. The Complaint alleges two young children have strangled on the toys. A 10 month old boy died in Temple Hills, Maryland, in October, 1984, when he became entangled in the strings tying a Soft Triplet toy across his crib. A seven month old girl died in Coronado, California in December, 1985, when she was caught by the neck on top of a Triplet stretched across her crib. The Soft Triplet, Piglet Crib Gym, and Triplets Marching Band toys can be hung across cribs and playpens and used as crib gyms. Consumers use their own strings or cords to tie the Soft Triplets and Marching Band toys. Once children can raise their heads over the strings or over the toy, they can get caught and strangle. Over 1.6 million Soft Triplets were sold by mail order from 1979 to March of 1986 through magazines such as Parents, American Baby, and Baby Talk. About 62,000 Piglets and 3,000 Marching Band toys were sold through retail outlets nationwide, the Piglets from 1982 to 1984 and the Marching Band from 1985 to March to 1986. The toys consist of three soft doll-like figures held together with elastic and with plastic rings at each end and are advertised for use from birth to 24 months. The staff believes these toys are dangerous and should be removed from cribs and playpens immediately. While Johnson & Johnson is conducting a warning campaign against hanging the toys in cribs or playpens, the staff believes the toys should be recalled and removed from children's environments completely to prevent deaths and injuries.
Hazard
The crib toys pose a strangulation hazard to infants.
Incidents & Injuries
The Complaint alleges two young children have strangled on the toys. A 10 month old boy died in Temple Hills, Maryland, in October, 1984, when he became entangled in the strings tying a Soft Triplet toy across his crib. A seven month old girl died in Coronado, California in December, 1985, when she was caught by the neck on top of a Triplet stretched across her crib.
Remedy Instructions
The staff believes these toys are dangerous and should be removed from cribs and playpens immediately.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a 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 (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.