Kid’s Hooded Sweatshirt Recall Issued After 3-Year Old Strangles to Death

About 300,000 “Kid Pullover Hood Sweatshirts” and “Kid Zipper Sweatshirts with Hood” have been recalled because they contain a defective design where a drawstring goes through the hood. This could pose a strangulation risk, and at least one death has been reported involving a 3 year old boy whose drawstring became caught on a playground set.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Hill Sportswear, Inc. announced the hooded sweatshirt recall on February 12, 2009.

The defective drawstring sweatshirts contain a label that reads “HILL/ Made in USA” and were sold by retailers in California and Texas between August 1999 and December 2008 for approximately $8.

The Kid Pullover Hood sweatshirt has one pocket in the middle and a flat style drawstring at the neck. The Kid Zipper with Hood has two front pockets and a rounded drawstring at the neck. Both designs contain a fleece inside lining.

The drawstrings through the hood pose a serious strangulation risk to children and the U.S. CPSC recommends that they be immediately removed by parents, as they may get caught on objects. The hooded sweatshirt may also be returned to Hill Sportswear or the place of purchase for a full refund.

Between January 1985 and January 1999, 22 deaths and 48 incidents were reported to the CPSC involving children’s drawstring clothing becoming entangled with objects like cribs, bus doors and playground equipment. Approximately one-third of the incidents involved children whose waist or jacket bottom drawstring became caught, and two-thirds involved neck drawstrings.

The CPSC issued guidelines for drawstrings on children’s clothing in February 1996 to help prevent drawstring problems with children’s clothing. They have recommended that parents remove all neck drawstrings from children’s clothing sizes 2T to 12. Shortening the drawstrings will not remove the risk of strangling.

Under the guidelines, snaps, Velcro, elastic and buttons at the neck area should be provided by manufacturers as an alternative to drawstrings and parents should buy garments with these features.

Waist and bottom drawstrings on garments sized 2T to 16 should not be more than 3 inches in length at full extension, should be fastened to the garment at the midpoint and should not use toggles or knots at the ends.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voluntarily adopted a standard in June 1997 that used the CPSC guidelines.