The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with J.C. Penney, of Plano, Texas, announced a voluntary recall of about 11,400 Alexander Designs Ltd. brand drop-side cribs today.
Manufacturer: Jardine Enterprises Ltd., of Taipei, Taiwan
Hazard: The drop-side rail hardware on the cribs can break or fail, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib. When the drop side detaches, a hazardous gap is created between the drop-side rail and the crib mattress in which infants and toddlers can become wedged or entrapped, posing risks of suffocation and strangulation. In addition, children can fall out of the crib when the drop-side rail falls unexpectedly or detaches from the crib. Drop-side rail failures also can occur due to incorrect assembly or with age-related wear and tear. Other models of Jardine drop-side cribs were recalled for repair on June 24, 2010.
Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has received two reports of incidents involving drop-side malfunctions on Alexander Designs drop-side cribs. In one incident, which involved a crib that had been misassembled, the plastic hardware broke and the drop-side rail fell unexpectedly. In a second incident, a hardware failure caused the drop-side rail to detach from the crib. No injuries were reported.
Sold through: JCPenney printed catalogs and online at JCPenney.com from March 2003 through April 2007 for about $200.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the cribs and obtain a free repair kit that will immobilize the drop-side rail. In the meantime, parents are urged to find an alternate, safe sleeping environment for the child, such as a bassinet, play yard or toddler bed depending on the child's age.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Jardine at (800) 295-1980 anytime or visit the firm's website at jdservice.biz/jcp-safety-notice.
