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Fingers Severed in Stroller Hinge; Baby Strangled in Faulty Crib

Jan. 20, 2010 -- Graco has recalled 1.5 million strollers after five children lost fingertips in the canopy hinge. And Dorel Asia has recalled 635,000 cribs after one infant died and six got trapped in the drop side.

Graco Stroller Finger Amputations
The Graco strollers being recalled are the company's Passage, Alano, and Spree stroller and "Travel System" models.

They were sold at AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies 'R' Us, Toys 'R' Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Wal-mart, and other retailers from October 2004 to December 2009.

The strollers sold for $80 to $90; the "travel systems" sold for $150-$200. All were made in China.

The affected hinge allows the canopy to be adjusted. Children have placed their fingertips in the hinges while the canopy was being opened or closed. Five children had fingertip amputations; two others had deep fingertip cuts.

Not all of the affected brands carry the dangerous hinge. The recall includes only models with a plastic, jointed mechanism with indented canopy notches. Not included are hinges that lack outside notches.

Graco asks consumers to immediately stop using the recalled strollers and to contact the company for a free protective cover repair kit. The company is taking calls during business hours, Eastern time, at 800-345-4109. A full list of the affected model numbers can be found on Graco's web site at http://www.gracobaby.com.

Dorel Asia Crib Entrapments
The 635,000 Dorel Asia cribs being recalled include drop-side and non-drop-side cribs. Both types of cribs may be deadly.

A 6-month-old child in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, became entrapped and strangled in one of the cribs after the drop-side hardware broke. The parents had tried to repair the hardware themselves. There have been 31 reports of drop-side incidents. In six of these cases, children were trapped between the drop side and crib mattress.

Drop-side and non-drop-side cribs become dangerous when the slats are damaged. There have been 36 reports of slat breakage, including seven reports of bruised and scratched infants and two reports of entrapment without injury.

The cribs were sold at Kmart, Sears, and Wal-mart stores across the U.S. from January 2005 through December 2009 for $120 to $700. They were made in China and Vietnam. Model numbers can be found on the Dorel Asia web site.

Parents should immediately stop using the cribs, find a safe sleeping place for their children, and contact Dorel Asia for a free replacement kit. The free kits, which will be provided "within the next several weeks," can be ordered at http://www.dorel-asia.com.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued this warning to all parents:

"CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib, especially with duct tape, wire, or rope."

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20100120/graco-strollers-dorel-cribs-recalled?ecd=wnl_prg_012410