A child's death prompts recall to repair portable playard tent by Tots in Mind due to strangulation hazard.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC), in cooperation with Tots in Mind Inc., of Salem, N.H., is announcing the voluntary recall today of about 20,000 (and 85 in Canada) Cozy Indoor Outdoor Portable Playard Tents Plus Cabana Kits.
Clips that attach the tent to the top of the playard can break or be removed by a child. A child can lift the tent and become entrapped at the neck between the rigid playard frame and the metal base rod of the tent, posing a strangulation hazard.
In December 2008 in Maine, a 2-year-old boy was found hanging with his neck entrapped between the playard frame and the metal base rod of the tent that had been partially tied by pieces of nylon rope and partially attached by clips. The tent was tied to the playard because the child was able to pop off the clips. Apparently, the child became entrapped while attempting to climb out of the playard. In three other incidents, children were able to remove one or more clips and place their necks between the tent and the playard. Fortunately, th children were not injured.
The dome-shaped white-colored mesh tent is designed to fit over playards as small as 28×40 inches or as large as 31×44 inches to contain a child. There are 12 plastic clips to secure the base of the tent to the top rail of the playard through button holes along the bottom of the tent. The tent has a zippered side for putting in and taking out the child.
The cribs were made in China and sold at Walmart, Amazon.com and various baby and children's stores nationwide from January 2005 through February 2010 for about $60.
Consumers should immediately stop using the playard tents and contact Tots in Mind to get free replacement clips.
