The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·13071·Announced 2012-12-17

Dunecraft Recalls Water-Absorbing Toys Due to Serious Ingestion Hazard

Dunecraft is recalling Water Balz, Growing Skulls, H2O Orbs, and Fabulous Flowers toys because they can expand inside the body if swallowed, causing intestinal blockages.

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 a serious injury report (surgical removal of an ingested toy) and a hazard that is potentially life-threatening, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Dunecraft Inc. is recalling approximately 94,700 Water Balz, Growing Skulls, H2O Orbs "Despicable Me," and Fabulous Flowers toys in the United States and 600 in Canada. These marble-sized toys absorb water and grow up to 400 times their original size. The products were sold in various colors and packages of six, with the brand name "Dunecraft" and model numbers printed on the packaging.

The recall is due to a serious ingestion hazard. If a child swallows one of these toys, it can expand inside the body, causing a blockage in the small intestine. This can result in severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration, and potentially life-threatening conditions. The toys do not show up on x-rays and require surgery for removal. Dunecraft received one report of an 8-month-old girl in Humble, Texas, who suffered an intestinal obstruction in August 2011 after ingesting a Water Balz, which had to be surgically removed.

Water Balz and Growing Skulls were sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, Five Below, Hobby Lobby, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Microcenter, Urban Outfitters Direct, Wegmans, and other stores nationwide, as well as online at amazon.com, incrediblescience.com, keyporthobbies.com, and americantoystores.com from September 2010 through November 2012. H2O Orbs "Despicable Me" were sold exclusively at Universal Studios stores in June 2012, and Fabulous Flowers were sold exclusively at Milaeger's in Racine, Wisconsin, from June 2012 through November 2012. Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Dunecraft for a free replacement toy.

The recalled product

Product
Water Balz, Growing Skulls, H2O Orbs "Despicable Me" and Fabulous Flowers toys
Manufacturer
Dunecraft Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio
Category
Consumer Product — Toys
Hazard
Affected units
94,700

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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