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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2007
Contact: Sarah Krauss
(212) 669-4193; (917) 541-0936
Release #: 057-2007
Gotbaum Calls for Immediate Inventory of Cribs at City Agencies
- City may be using dangerous, recently-recalled cribs which have suffocated and trapped infants -
MANHATTAN – The city must immediately identify and replace dangerous, recently-recalled cribs from city-operated and city-funded sites, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum wrote today to city officials. Graco and Simplicity, Inc., two nation-wide baby crib manufacturers, recalled one million faulty cribs last Friday after three children were suffocated. The cribs are also responsible for trapping seven infants. Yesterday, an additional 400,000 play yards were also recalled by Kolcraft after a 10-month-old boy was strangled by a faulty strap.
In a letter today addressed to Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, Gotbaum said that city-run shelters, child-care centers, and foster care agencies may use any number of these dangerous cribs and play yards. There have been a total of 55 reported complaints due to sides detaching and hardware failings.
Public Advocate Gotbaum said, “This isn’t rocket science: we know these cribs are dangerous to children and we shouldn’t be using them. Period. The idea that the city may be using these recalled cribs is frightening. The city needs to take immediate action to assure that children are safe.”
The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, concerned that parents do not know of the dangers posed by the cribs, issued a national safety warning last week. According to Deputy Director, Scott Wolfson, the Commission wants to make sure that it is informing the “greatest number of parents and caregivers possible and preventing any other child from being injured by this product.”
Gotbaum reiterated the safety warning, adding that many city agencies, including the Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Homeless Services, and the Human Resources Administration, as well as contract agencies, may simply be unaware that they are placing children at risk by using the dangerous cribs. The Public Advocate encouraged other non-governmental organizations in New York to check their inventory of cribs as well.
Click here to read the letter.
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