In 1998, just a few months apart, two little boys died when the same model of a Playskool Travel-Lite portable crib collapsed and strangled them. Although they lived many miles apart and did not know each other, they share a tragic legacy – they are both victims of a recalled product.
At least 19 children have died in collapsed portable cribs or play yards with rotating top-rail hinges.
A recall or a corrective action had been issued for other portable cribs and play yards for various reasons:
- risk of serious injury or death if mis-assembled
- choking or entanglement hazards
- head entrapment or suffocation
- risk of injury from tipping when legs on the product become loose and separate.
19 Deaths—The Horrific Legacy of Portable Cribs
14 mo old girl, 2005
2 year old boy, 2003