Australian authorities weigh recall of deadly baby sleeper pulled from US shelves
The Australian consumer watchdog is likely to follow the lead of a US consumer safety agency, which has recalled a Fisher-Price baby sleeper that has now been linked to the deaths of more than 30 infants since 2009.
According to the recall, made on Saturday morning (Australian time) by the Consumer Product Safey Commission in the US, the fatalaties occurred in Fisher-Price's Rock 'n Play sleepers, which are available in Australia, "after the infants rolled over while unrestrained, or under other circumstances".
On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it was also considering recalling the sleepers in Australia.
"The ACCC is aware of the recall of US Fisher-Price's Rock'n Play baby sleeper products," the spokesperson said.
"The ACCC is investigating this as a matter of priority and is considering whether similar action is required in Australia."
Last week, the ACCC warned parents to keep the sleeper "out of reach of children" following reports it had been linked with a number of infant deaths in the US.
"Preventing injuries and deaths to infants caused by unsafe sleeping products is one of the ACCC's product safety priorities and we are always concerned by reports such as those we are seeing from the US," the spokesperson said.
The Rock 'n Play sleeper features a fabric cradle on a metal stand that rocks babies so they can be soothed to sleep.
The official recall by the Consumer Product Safey Commission in the US stated that "since the 2009 product introduction, over 30 infant fatalities have occurred in Rock ‘n Play Sleepers".
"Infant fatalities have occurred in Rock ‘n Play Sleepers, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances," the statement said.
The US recall will impact about 4.7 million products.
The spokesperson for the ACCC said it was not aware of any injuries or deaths in Australia associated with the product. A decision on whether the sleeper will be recalled in Australia is likely to made by the ACCC in the coming days.
In the meantime, the ACCC "urges parents with this product to keep it out of reach of children".
The parent company of Fisher-Price in Australia, Mattel Australia, could not be reached for comment.
On Saturday morning (Australian time), Fisher-Price in the US issued a statement saying it was voluntarily recalling the sleepers.