The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·12262·Announced 2012-08-29

Summer Infant Recalls Baby Bathers Due to Fall and Head Injury Hazard

Summer Infant is recalling approximately 2 million baby bathers in the U.S. and 65,000 in Canada because the folding wire frame can disengage, causing infants to fall and suffer head injuries.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves significant injury reports, including skull fractures and intensive care for bleeding on the brain, which meets the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating.

Plain-English summary

Summer Infant Inc. is recalling approximately 2 million Mother's Touch/Deluxe Baby Bathers in the United States and an additional 65,000 in Canada. The recall involves baby bathers with a small, nearly square blue or pink plastic base and specific model numbers listed in the official notice. These products were sold at mass merchandise stores nationwide and online from September 2004 through November 2011 for between $15 and $30.

The hazard exists because the folding wire frame can suddenly disengage from the side hinge when the bather is lifted or carried with an infant inside. This failure can drop the baby out of the bather, posing a fall hazard and a risk of serious head injury. CPSC and Summer Infant have received seven reports of incidents in the U.S., including five reports of infants suffering head injuries from falls. Four children between two weeks and two months old received skull fractures, including one that required intensive care for bleeding on the brain. The fifth child received a bump to the head requiring emergency room treatment.

Consumers should immediately stop using the bathers and contact Summer Infant for a free repair kit that includes a locking strap and instructions. Even with the new locking strap installed, the baby bather product should never be used to lift and carry an infant. Consumers can contact Summer Infant at (800) 426-8627 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.summerinfant.com/batherrepairkit. Do not return the products to stores as retailers will not have the repair kit.

The recalled product

Product
Mother's Touch/Deluxe Baby Bathers
Manufacturer
Summer Infant Inc., of Woonsocket, R.I.
Category
Consumer Product — Baby Bathing Products
Hazard
Affected units
65,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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