More than 2 million infant swings have been recalled for “entanglement and strangulation hazards” after one child died and another was injured.
The 4moms MamaRoo Baby Swing and RockaRoo Baby Rocker were recalled Monday because the dangling restraint strap pose a strangulation hazard to crawling infants, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
“When the swing or rocker is not in use, their restraint straps can hang below the seat and non-occupant crawling infants can become entangled in the straps, posing entanglement and strangulation hazards,” the CPSC said in a statement.
4moms received two reports of entanglement incidents involving infants who were caught in the strap after they crawled under the MamaRoo infant swing.
One 10-month-old infant died from asphyxiation while another 10-month-old suffered bruising to his neck before he was rescued by a caregiver. No incidents involving the RockaRoo have been reported, according to the CPSC.
4moms CEO Gary Waters said he is “deeply saddened” by the two incidents and conducted the recall voluntarily with the CPSC after an investigation into the accidents.
“Families put their trust in our company when they choose to bring our products into their homes,” he said in a statement to Newsweek. “That’s why we take every precaution and make the extra effort to ensure that our baby gear products not only meet but exceed all applicable safety standards.”
The CPSC said consumers should “immediately stop using the recalled swings and rockers,” put them in an area out of reach for crawling infants, and call 4moms to order a free strap fastener that will prevent the straps from extending under the swing when not in use.
The free strap fastener kit was designed by 4moms as an “easy-to-install solution” that the company believes will prevent any other incidents from happening. Waters said the company “strongly urges our consumers, retailers, and re-seller partners to implement the strap fastener solution to ensure the complete safety of our products.”
“We will continue to hold ourselves to the highest quality and safety standards so that parents feel safe, secure, and confident in their decision to have 4moms support their family,” he told Newsweek.
The Pittsburgh-based company is recalling about 2,060,000 MamaRoo swings and 230,000 RockaRoo rockers in the U.S. and Canada.
The models under recall include MamaRoo swing version 1.0 through 4.0 with 3-point harnesses, including models 4M-005, 1026 and 1037, and RockaRoo model 4M-012. The MamaRoo model 1046 with a 5-point harness is not being recalled.
The model number is located on the bottom of the unit for the MamaRoo and RockaRoo models, according to 4moms.
It is also important to note that the new model of the MamaRoo swing (Model #1046), launched in July, is not included in this recall as it features a re-designed harness and strap configuration.
The swing has buttons on the base to control multiple motions, speeds and sounds. The RockaRoo is a baby rocker with front to back gliding motion. The base has an analog knob and power button to control the range of motion of the rocker.
The products were sold at BuyBuy Baby and Target stores nationwide and online at 4moms.com and Amazon between January 2010 through August 2022. They retail for between $160 and $250.
According to the CPSC, 4moms is contacting all known purchasers directly. Additionally, consumers can call 4moms toll-free at 877-870-7390 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, by email at [email protected] or online at www.4momsrecall.expertinquiry.com or www.4moms.com.
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