Diane Drop-Side Crib Recall: Defective Slats May Detach and Pose Hazard

About 1,000 Caramia “Diane” drop-side cribs have been recalled after reports suggest that defective slats could detach and possibly trap infants or cause them to fall from the cribs.

The drop-side crib recall was announced last Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the manufacturer, Caramia Furniture. The company has received at least 18 reports where slats on the crib’s drop side detached from the top and bottom rails. The CPSC says that this could allow an infant to fall or become entrapped in the crib. Although there have been no reports of injuries, parents have been urged to stop using the Diane crib.

A number of major retailers and manufacturers have stopped selling drop side cribs due to repeated problems with drop side cribs. One company, Simplicity, has had more than 2 million drop side cribs recalled, and the CPSC reports that at least 11 infant deaths can be linked to Simplicity drop-side cribs. The company was driven out of business by the repeated product recalls.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding drop-side cribs is that they are not sufficiently durable. In addition, many parents reuse the cribs for multiple children or pass them down to other family members. When the cribs are disassembled and then reassembled, the risks associated with defective designs could increase greatly, resulting in potentially life-threatening hazards. In addition, many of the cribs are inexpensive and built without durable parts.

This week’s recall affects the “Diane” model cribs distributed by Caramia Furniture and Mother Hubbard Cupboard’s, based in Ontario, Canada. About 1,000 of the cribs have been recalled, all of which were manufactured between September 2002 and June 2004. The manufacturing date can be found on a label affixed to the inside of the headboard or footboard.

The cribs were sold at Buy Buy Baby and other children’s furniture and mass retail stores nationwide from September 2002 through December 2005.

The CPSC recommends that customers immediately stop using the Diane crib and contact Caramia Furniture to receive a free replacement drop side, which will be available starting in March. For more information, contact the company through it’s website at www.caramiafurniture.com.