Crib injuries and deaths can occur due to various reasons, and it’s crucial for parents and caregivers to be aware of potential hazards to create a safe sleep environment for infants. Some common types of crib injuries and causes of death include:

1. Suffocation:
   • Soft Bedding: Placing soft bedding materials such as pillows, quilts, or stuffed animals in the crib can pose a suffocation risk.
   • Positional Asphyxia: Improper positioning of the infant, such as placing them on their stomach to sleep, can increase the risk of suffocation.
2. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS):
   • SIDS is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby. While not directly related to cribs, the sleep environment, including the crib, plays a role in SIDS prevention.
3. Entrapment:
   • Poorly designed or damaged cribs may have spaces where a baby’s head, body, or limbs can become trapped, leading to injury or suffocation.
4. Fall Injuries:
   • As infants grow and become more mobile, there’s a risk of falling out of the crib if the mattress is set at an inappropriate height or if the crib is damaged.
5. Crib Hardware Issues:
   • Loose or missing screws, bolts, or other hardware can lead to structural issues in the crib, increasing the risk of collapse.
6. Choking Hazard:
   • Small objects, parts of toys, or even crib accessories that are small enough to be a choking hazard should be kept out of the crib.
7. Overheating:
   • Overheating is a risk factor for SIDS. Keeping the room too warm or dressing the baby in too many layers can contribute to overheating.
8. Unsafe Sleep Position:
   • Placing the baby in an unsafe sleep position, such as on their stomach or side, can increase the risk of suffocation.

To reduce the risk of crib injuries and deaths, it’s important to follow safe sleep guidelines recommended by health professionals, such as placing the baby on their back to sleep, using a firm mattress, avoiding soft bedding, and regularly checking the crib for safety issues. Additionally, always use cribs that meet current safety standards and regulations.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced many recalls involving more than 9 million drop-side cribs. However, the CPSC’s recalls have not been successful in removing millions of dangerous cribs from the marketplace and your homes. We know this because crib infant deaths and serious injuries continue to mount. We also know these infant deaths and injuries are completely preventable.

Drop-Down Crib Recalls Keep Mounting

In November 2009 infant entrapments and suffocations caused Stork Craft to Recall more than 2.1 Million drop-side cribs. CPSC reported 110 incidents of drop-side detachment. The incidents include 15 entrapments. Four of the Stork Craft crib entrapments resulted in suffocation: a 7-month-old in Gouverneur, N.Y.; a 7-month-old in New Iberia, La.; a 6-month-old in Summersville, W.Va.; and a 9-month-old in Bronx, N.Y. In addition there were 20 falls from Stork Craft cribs. In these reports, fall injuries ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises.

In July 2009, the CPSC announced the recall of 400,000 drop down cribs manufactured by Simplicity Inc. A death was attributed to the Simplicity crib, when an 8-month-old child from Houston, Texas, became trapped between the drop down side and the crib mattress when a plastic connector on the drop side broke. The child suffocated. There were an additional 25 incidents involving detachment of the Simplicity drop down side.

In January 2009, there were recalls of about 535,000 Stork Craft Baby Cribs (and an additional 92,000 with the Fisher-Price logo). There were 10 incidents where one or more mattress support brackets broke. The broken bracket caused the mattress to collapse and create a gap between the crib drop down rails and the mattress.

Additional crib manufacturers who have recalled cribs include:

• Child Craft
• Delta Enterprise Corporation
• Evenflo
• Jardine Enterprises
• LaJobi – Bonavita, Babi Italia and ISSI
• Million Dollar Baby – Includes Million Dollar Baby, Baby Mod and DaVinci cribs
• Simmons Juvenile Products Inc.

Shoddy Designs and Workmanship

Many of the defective cribs are manufactured in China. The parts easily break or don’t fit together as intended. The defective cribs are imported and then sold in the most recognized stores and on-line retailers in America.

Crib Manufacturers Need To Be Held Responsible For Infant Injuries and Deaths

Crib manufacturers have a responsibility to manufacture and design safe products. If your infant was injured or killed due to a defective drop down crib then you should contact a product liability attorney. Your child and your family deserve justice for your child’s harm. Crib manufacturers need to be held responsible for infant injuries and deaths for two reasons. First, to compensate your child or your family for the infants death or injury. Second, holding crib manufacturers legally responsible for your child’s injury or death will provide huge incentive for them to design and sell safer cribs in the future. Your child’s lawsuit can help prevent future needless and tragic infant injuries and deaths. Your child’s lawsuit may result in a defective crib recall.

Legal Notice per Rules of Professional Responsibility: The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers and attorneys in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. While this firm maintains joint responsibility, most cases of this type are referred to other attorneys for principle responsibility.