Baby-Minder bean bag infant cushion

CPSC Recall #90-077 - April 19, 1990

Recall Summary

Recall Number90-077
Recall DateApril 19, 1990
Remedy TypeDispose
Units AffectedApproximately 3,000
ManufacturerThe Fourth Little Pig, of San Anselmo, CA

Product

Baby-Minder bean bag infant cushion

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Fourth Little Pig, San Anselmo, CA, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is voluntarily recalling its Baby-Minder bean bag infant cushions because of a suffocation risk. Although no deaths have been reported involving the Baby-Minder, the Commission has received reports of 19 infants being found dead lying face down on similar products made by other firms. Baby-Minder is a fabric covered, polystyrene pellet-filled cushion with restraining straps intended for use with infants. The manufacturer's name and address, along with patent and registry numbers, appear on a paper tag stitched into a seam of the product. The Fourth Little Pig name is also on a smaller tag containing washing instructions. Approximately 3,000 Baby-Minder cushions have been sold since 1985 for approximately $40 each. The Commission staff urges consumers who own these products to stop using them immediately.

Hazard

This infant cushion is being recalled because of a suffocation risk to infants.

Incidents & Injuries

Although no deaths have been reported involving the Baby-Minder, the Commission has received reports of 19 infants being found dead lying face down on similar products made by other firms.

Remedy Instructions

The Commission staff urges consumers who own these products to stop using them immediately.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose 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) 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.