Last week, retailers and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled about 600,000 Simplicity drop-side cribs because of an entrapment and suffocation hazard, Consumeraffairs.com reported. This alert is the latest in a series of safety warnings and recalls that have to do with Simplicity baby furniture, especially cribs and bassinets.

Apparently, the drop side in these defective cribs can come off of the tracks creating a dangerous gap where infants can get trapped, suffocate and die, according to this CPSC alert. Large retail outlets such as Wal-Mart have been pulling Simplicity bassinets off of their shelves after they were said to be responsible for the deaths of two infants. With the drop-side cribs, there have reportedly been at least nine incidents where the drop side detached, but so far there have been no reports of injuries or death.

The recalled cribs were manufactured in China and sold by stores nationwide from January 2005 through August 2008 for prices ranging from $150 to $300. The recalled model numbers include: 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8778, 8810, and 8994. The recalled drop side cribs have a date code that’s on a label on the headboard under the mattress support, which ends in 05DH, 05GB, 06DH, 06GB, 07DH or 07GB (examples: 1806 DH or 0507 GB). The recalled model names include: Aspen and Crib N Changer Combo, Gabrielle, Camille, Providence and Shenandoah.

Consumers are urged to stop using these defective cribs immediately and return them to the store for a refund or store credit. There seems to be no end in sight for recalls of defective products distributed by Simplicity. Obviously, the company has quality control issues with regard to the manufacturing process.

I’m relieved that there were no children injured or killed (that we know of) as a result of these defective Simplicity cribs. If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or killed as a result of defective Simplicity products or any other product defects, please call my office to discuss your legal rights.