The Recall Desk
Our severity:CriticalCPSC·11250·Announced 2011-06-16

Big Lots Recalls Metal Futon Bunk Beds Due to Entrapment Death

Big Lots is recalling metal futon bunk beds after a child died from head and neck entrapment. Consumers should stop using the beds and contact the retailer for a repair kit.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 5/5 (Critical).

Highest-severity recall. The hazard can cause serious injury or death. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly reports a fatality resulting from the product defect, which mandates a Critical severity score per the rubric.

Plain-English summary

Big Lots is recalling approximately 30,000 metal futon bunk beds, model number BFB1008, due to a risk of child entrapment. The recall was prompted by the death of a three-year-old boy in Burlington, Iowa, in March 2010, who became entrapped at the head and neck when the futon frame was lowered. The weight of the metal frame prevented the child from breathing or escaping, resulting in compression asphyxiation despite CPR.

The hazard exists because children can become trapped behind the futon or in the ladder area when the bed is converted from a seated to a flat position. Additionally, the space between the last rung of the ladder and the mattress is too small for a child's body to pass through safely, creating a head and neck entrapment risk.

These beds were sold exclusively at Big Lots stores nationwide from January 2009 through April 2010 for approximately $200. Consumers should immediately stop using these bunk beds and contact Big Lots to obtain a free repair kit containing new ladders and other parts for home installation.

The recalled product

Product
Metal Futon Bunk Beds
Category
Consumer Product — Furniture
Hazard
Affected units
30,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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