Dangerous Baby Slings Should Be Recalled
The suffocation dangers associated with certain kinds of wearable baby carriers and baby slings were highlighted Tuesday in a keynote address by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.
Baby slings are fabric devices that allow parents to transport their babies while holding them close to their bodies. The use of baby slings, also known as babywearing, can be hazardous and even fatal if the slings hold the baby in an unsafe position. “A general warning [about these slings] is likely to go out to the public very soon,” Tenenbaum said.
Sadly, the CPSC’s proposed action is coming too late for clients of Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. This couple from Cincinnati, Ohio, had a 3-month-old baby who suffocated by positional asphyxia in December 2009 while being transported in a baby sling.
Positional asphyxia is a condition in which the infant’s head is pushed forward and down against the chest, which can cause the airway to close. The product used by our clients was an Infantino SlingRider, which has reportedly been linked to two other infant deaths.
Non-governmental warnings about certain baby slings, including the Infantino SlingRider, have been circulating for a number of years, and the Infantino SlingRider was also recalled by the CPSC in 2007 because of faulty components on the strap that could break, causing a baby in the carrier to fall.
Warnings, however, are not enough. Dangerous slings should be recalled and manufacturers, including Infantino, should have to show that these products were actually tested before they were sold to the public. Consumer products, especially those for our most vulnerable citizens, should be deemed safe before they reach the market.
Tags: Child Injury Lawsuit, infantino slingrider lawsuit, Product Liability MN
