Four More Deaths Linked to Infant Sleepers Like the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper

“These inclined products are linked to infant deaths and conflict with medical experts’ safe sleep recommendations. Kids II should recall them immediately,” says William Wallace, senior policy analyst at CR. “Babies should be put to bed alone, on their backs, on a flat, firm surface in their own space. If any infant sleep product doesn’t align with this advice, the CPSC should get it off the market right away, so that parents and caregivers don’t unwittingly put their babies at risk.”

After CR’s initial report on the Rock ’n Play Sleeper, the American Academy of Pediatrics urged the CPSC to recall that product immediately. The group also said it “does not recommend inclined sleep products like the Rock ’n Play, or any other products for sleep that require restraining a baby.”

A spokesperson for Kids II said, “Each of these [deaths] are tragic and heartbreaking. In the four cases, there were either extenuating circumstances not relating to the sleep product or a failure to follow instructions and warnings. No incidents were a result of product malfunction or design.”

When CR asked Fisher-Price for further comment, a spokesperson restated: “We have worked and will continue to work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regarding the safe use of our products, including the Rock ’n Play Sleeper.”

A spokesperson for the CPSC said the agency is investigating the risks of inclined sleepers, but would not comment specifically about these four additional deaths. “Incidents involving fatalities warrant the highest level of attention at CPSC,” the spokesperson said.

The agency has not yet issued a recall for the Fisher-Price or Kids II products, and noted that “In order to bring a case, we need to establish the facts and evidence to make a defect determination to meet the legal standard required for a recall.”