Fisher-Price, Inc. makes a product called the Rock ’n Play Sleeper which purports to be appropriate for babies to sleep in for an extended period or even overnight. But the complaint for this class action alleges that babies left to sleep on it have been injured or died, and that the product is not in fact safe for its advertised purpose. It sues Fisher-Price and its parent company Mattel, Inc. for selling a product they knew or should have known was dangerous.
The class for this action is all persons who bought or owned any model of Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper from 2009 to the present. Alternatively, a Tennessee class has been proposed.
The product boxes and other advertising materials as stating, “Baby can sleep at a comfortable incline all night long!” But the complaint alleges, “By positioning an infant at a 30-degree incline, the Rock ’n Play Sleeper significantly increases the risk that the infant’s head will slip into a dangerous position.”
It continues, “This position may cause the infant’s head to tilt and constrict the windpipe and/or cause the infant’s face to become pressed against the padded fabric in the sleeper resulting in blocked airflow, which the infant may be unable to correct.”
According to the complaint, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) other groups warned about the dangers of inclined sleepers. Regulators in Canada and Australia did not let Fisher-Price sell the Rock ’n Play product as a sleeper. Even so, the complaint alleges, Fisher-Price ignored the concerns and sold it as a sleeper in the US.
The company has already been sued for at least one death in the Rock ’n Play Sleeper, the complaint says, and “at least 32 deaths have occurred in babies using the Rock ’n Play Sleeper, and upwards of 700 injuries have been reported due to the use of inclined sleepers, including the Rock ’n Play Sleeper.”
On April 5, 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Fisher-Price together issued a statement saying that ten infants had died while in the Rock ’n Play Sleeper since 2015. Among other things, the statement said, “Because deaths continue to occur, the CPSC is recommending consumers stop use of the product by three months of age, or as soon as an infant exhibits rollover capabilities.”
On April 8, Consumer Reports published a long article saying the Rock ’n Play Sleeper should be recalled.
On April 9, the AAP issued a press release asking parents to stop using the Rock ’n Play Sleeper immediately.
Finally, on April 12, the company recalled the product. However, the complaint says that the rules for the recall are “cumbersome, inconvenient, restrictive, and confusing…” Only those who have had the product for less than six months get full reimbursement; others get only vouchers for other Fisher-Price merchandise. The complaint sums up, “The Recall is inadequate and unfair.”
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper Deaths and Injuries Complaint
August 5, 2019
Fisher-Price, Inc. makes a product called the Rock ’n Play Sleeper which purports to be appropriate for babies to sleep in for an extended period or even overnight. But the complaint for this class action alleges that babies left to sleep on it have been injured or died, and that the product is not in fact safe for its advertised purpose. It sues Fisher-Price and its parent company Mattel, Inc. for selling a product they knew or should have known was dangerous.
fisher-price_rock_n_play_sleeper_compl.pdfCase Event History
Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper Deaths and Injuries Complaint
August 5, 2019
Fisher-Price, Inc. makes a product called the Rock ’n Play Sleeper which purports to be appropriate for babies to sleep in for an extended period or even overnight. But the complaint for this class action alleges that babies left to sleep on it have been injured or died, and that the product is not in fact safe for its advertised purpose. It sues Fisher-Price and its parent company Mattel, Inc. for selling a product they knew or should have known was dangerous.
fisher-price_rock_n_play_sleeper_compl.pdf