A Drop Down Crib Rail Can Cause Suffocation or Strangulation of a Baby, Infant or Toddler

While I was shopping at Babies R Us this weekend, I noticed something very different about the cribs that were on sale. The cribs did not look like the crib I used for my children. All of the new cribs, and I mean all of them, did not have rails or sides that drop down. There wasn’t even an option to buy a drop down crib if you wanted to and that is a good thing.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) decided to outlaw drop down cribs after receiving over 30 reports of infants or toddlers that had suffocated to death or were strangled while in a drop down crib. It is believed that a dropped crib rail can cause a deadly “V” like gap that traps a baby, rendering them helpless to free themselves to breathe.

It is comforting to know that no more drop down cribs will be manufactured or sold in retail stores, but that does not help parents who already own a drop down crib and are unaware of the dangers that drop down crib can cause. In this economy, many new parents are unable to afford a new crib and turn to hand-me-down cribs from friends or family, auction sites, secondhand stores, flea markets, thrift stores or consignment shops to purchase a crib and are unaware of the recalls or hidden dangers in older model cribs. In addition, many day care centers, nannies, grandparents or hotels may still use the older cribs.

Please help spread the word regarding how dangerous drop down cribs can be. Here at the Philadelphia Beasley product liability law firm, we have reviewed and investigated many infant wrongful death cases that could have been prevented. If you lost a baby, infant or toddler due to a crib or product defect, our experienced baby nurses, doctors, and lawyers can help you. Please feel free to contact us for a free, strictly confidential, consultation.