The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued recalls for two types of children’s dressers following the deaths of three toddlers possibly resulting from the furniture tipping over onto them.
The concern in both cases is that children will open the dresser drawers to scale the furniture, causing it to become unbalanced and fall over, possibly trapping the child.
All the recalled dressers had previously met safety standards. However, the industry accepted voluntary standards in 2009 that require tip-over restraints that attach to the interior wall, framing or other support be included with all dressers to help prevent tip-over entrapment hazards to young children. The recalling companies will supply retrofit kits to help reduce the risk of the dressers tipping over.
Parents should be aware of the dangers of having non-secured furniture in their homes. The CPSC reports that a child dies every two weeks as a result of falling furniture or TV sets.
Million Dollar Baby “Emily” and “Ryan” Dressers
More than 18,000 four-drawer-dressers have been recalled by Million Dollar Baby after the deaths of an 11-month-old in Oklahoma and a 20-month-old in California. Though the cause of death in these cases has not been determined, it’s believed the children may have suffocated after becoming trapped when their dressers fell over on them.
The voluntary recall involves “Emily” style four-drawer dressers with model numbers M4712, M4722, M4732 and M4742 and similar “Ryan” dressers with the model M4733.
The dressers were available in five finishes – Cherry, Ebony, Espresso, Honey Oak and White – through several retailers including JC Penny, Babies R Us, and online through Amazon.com. They were sold from January 2006 through June 2010 for between $230 and $300.
The recalled dressers measure 33-inches high by 20-inches deep by 40-inches wide and are part of the DaVinci children’s bedroom furniture collection. The dressers are made from pine and wood composite.
Consumers can contact Million Dollar Baby to receive a free retrofit kit that contains a wall anchor strap, which attaches to the dresser and wall to help prevent the dresser from tipping. The kits can be ordered by visiting the firm’s website at www.themdbfamily.com/safety2 and click on Safety HQ or call toll-free at (888) 673-6652 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. View the full recall here.
Natart Chelsea Dressers
300 dressers have been recalled by Gemme Juevenile Inc. after the CPSC received a report of a two-year-old in Illinois who allegedly suffocated when he climbed on or up an open lower drawer into the second dresser drawer, causing the dresser to fall and entrap him between the unit and the floor.
The specific recall involves the Chelsea three-drawer windowed dresser bearing model number 3033. The dressers were sold in five finishes Cappuccino, Cappuccino with a brown top, Ebony, Ebony with a brown top, and Antique or French White. A sticker with the word “Natart” and the firm’s logo is affixed to the inside of the top drawer.
In addition, most dressers will have the model number, “Natart Juvenile,” “Made in Canada” and “Chelsea 3 Drawer Dresser” printed on another label located on the back of the dresser. The recalled dresser measures 35-inches high by 21- inches deep by 39- inches wide and is part of the Chelsea children’s bedroom furniture collection. The dresser is composed of engineered wood, solid wood and wood veneers. The top drawer has two clear plastic windows in front.
The dressers were sold at Furniture Kidz and other independent juvenile specialty stores and at Baby.com from January 2005 to December 2010 for between $600 and $900.
Free retrofit kits that contain wall anchor straps are being offered to consumers to help prevent the dresser from tipping. The kits can be ordered by visiting www.chelseawallanchors.com, www.NatartJuvenile.com, emailing the firm at safety@chelseawallanchors.com or calling toll-free at (855) 364-2619 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. View the full recall here.
