Bassinet Recall Includes Graco Bassinets and “Winnie the Pooh” Brands

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), some of the Simplicity Bassinets which were recalled last month could have been sold as Graco bassinets or with a “Winnie the Pooh” motif.

At least two infant deaths have been linked to a design defect in the bassinets where metal bars are further apart than permitted by the Crib Federal Safety standard. This could allow a baby’s head to become stuck, posing a substantial risk of infant strangulation.

A safety alert was originally issued by the U.S. CPSC on August 27, 2008, warning consumers not to use the Simplicity bassinets. A bassinet recall was issued for about 900,000 4-in-1 and 3-in-1 convertible “close sleeper / bedside sleeper” bassinets manufactured by Simplicity, Inc., of Reading, Pennsylvania.

In recent weeks, the U.S. CPSC has become aware that about 200,000 of the bassinets made by Simplicity, Inc. had been sold with a Graco logo between 2001 and 2004 as part of a licensing agreement with Graco Children’s Products. Some of the bassinets were also sold between 2002 and 2008 with a “Winnie the Pooh” motif that was licensed from Disney Consumer Products

The government has not received cooperation from the manufacturer, as Simplicity, Inc. sold all of their assets at public auction in April 2008, and SFCA, Inc., the company who purchased all of the assets, has denied any responsibility for problems caused by Simplicity, Inc.

However, a number of retailers have voluntarily agreed to stop selling the Simplicity bassinets and are offering refunds or exchanges. Participating retailers include Wal-Mart, Kmart, Toys “R” Us, Target, J.C. Penny, Big Lots! , AAFES, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Burlington Coat Factory, Buy Baby Garden, Chelsea & Scott, CSN Stores, Fingerhut Direct, Frogs and Lily Pads, Kohl’s, Shopko, Sweet Pea Décor and USA Baby Stores in several states.