The Recall Desk
CriticalCPSC·10234·Announced 2010-05-17

Toy Dart Gun Sets Recalled Due to Reported Child Asphyxiation Deaths

CPSC recalls 1.8 million toy dart gun sets sold at Family Dollar after two children died from asphyxiation. Consumers should discard the sets or return them for a refund.

What this means for you

Highest-severity recall. Risk of serious injury or death is documented or strongly suspected. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports two asphyxiation deaths, which meets the rubric criterion for a score of 5 (Critical) due to known fatalities.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling approximately 1.8 million "Auto Fire" toy target sets sold exclusively at Family Dollar stores nationwide from September 2005 through January 2009. The sets, manufactured by Henry Gordy International Inc. of Plainfield, N.J., and imported from China, consist of a toy gun (orange/yellow item #P238 or blue/yellow item #9328), eight orange darts, and a small target. The soft plastic darts measure just over one inch in length and have a small suction cup at one end.

The recall was prompted by reports of two asphyxiation deaths involving a 9-year-old boy in Chicago, Ill., and a 10-year-old boy in Milwaukee, Wis. The hazard exists because if a child places the soft, pliable plastic toy dart in their mouth, the toy can be inhaled into the throat and prevent the child from breathing.

Consumers should immediately take the toy target sets from children and discard them. Alternatively, consumers can return the guns and darts to a Family Dollar store for a full refund. For additional information, consumers can contact Family Dollar at (800) 547-0359 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit www.familydollar.com.

The recalled product

Product
Toy Dart Gun Sets
Manufacturer
Henry Gordy International Inc., of Plainfield, N.J.
Category
Consumer Product — Toys
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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