Sixth Nap Nanny Infant Death Reported by CPSC

Government safety officials are once again warning parents not to place their children in Nap Nanny infant recliners, after it was discovered that a sixth child has died in the recalled baby seats.  

The Nap Nanny warning was issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on May 27, coming at least a year and a half after administrative complaints were filed against the manufacturer, Baby Matters LLC, seeking to force a recall for the infant recliners

The CPSC claims the infant mattresses contain a defect in the design, warning labels, and instructions, which have contributed to at least 70 injury reports and at least six infant deaths.

The Nap Nanny Infant Recliners are portable, shaped, mattresses that are designed for sleeping, resting, or playing and have a bucket seat with a soft fabric covering. The recliners have a three point harness system that is supposed to restrain the child from falling.

The recliners are considered extremely dangerous for infants due to the three point harness. Reports suggest that children can partly fall or hang over the side of the recliner and become trapped between the product and the crib bumpers. Children can also strangle to death from the harness if their body shifts over the edge of the recliner, as well as suffocate to death if the child turns over on their stomach leaving them trapped against the fabric.

The latest death occurred in Hopatcong, New Jersey, where an 8-month-old girl secured by the harness restraint was found hanging over the side of the Nap Nanny recliner trapped between the product and the crib bumper.

The CPSC indicates that the safest place for a child is in a bar crib on his or her back without any cushions, pillows, quilts or comforters, or in bassinets. Adding fabric materials increases the potential for the child to become entangled or trapped by moving around.

In December 2012, the CPSC filed a rare administrative complaint against the manufacturer Baby Matters LLC, to remove their recliner products from the market after owner and founder Leslie Gudel denied all liability and allegations that the products contained design defects and that the products caused the deaths of five infants.

On June 14, 2013, CPSC was able to reach an agreement with Baby Matters LLC, issuing a Nap Nanny recall for 160,000 infant recliners sold between 2009 and 2013 for about $130.00. The terms also included that Baby Matters must also leave their website www.napnanny.com available to the public for another five years to warn consumers about the recall.

Baby Matters LLC, shortly went out of business following the recall and is no longer accepting returns. Customers with recalled recliners are encouraged to remove them from their homes and discontinue the use of them. Customers should contact their retailer, either Amazon.com, BuyBuyBaby.com, Diapers.com, or Toys R Us/Babies R Us for instructions on how to obtain a full refund.