Toys R Us Recalls Buckyballs High-Powered Magnet Sets Due to Ingestion Hazards
Toys R Us is recalling Buckyballs high-powered magnet sets because swallowing multiple magnets can cause severe internal injuries, including intestinal obstructions and death.
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 states that the hazard can cause 'death' and lists 'sepsis' and 'intestinal obstructions' as potential outcomes, meeting the rubric criteria for a Critical severity score due to the potential for fatalities and serious injury.
Plain-English summary
Toys R Us is recalling Buckyballs high-powered magnet sets sold at ToysRUs.com and retailers nationwide from November 2010 through July 2012. The sets, manufactured by Maxfield & Oberton LLC in China, contain 216 silver-colored, spherical rare earth magnets, each about five millimeters in diameter. The recall involves approximately 60 units.
The recall is issued due to ingestion hazards. When two or more magnets are swallowed, they can link together inside a child's intestines and clamp onto body tissues. This can cause intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis, and death, posing serious lifelong health effects. Toys R Us has received no reports of injuries related to this specific product, but CPSC has received 54 reports of incidents involving children ingesting high-powered magnets, resulting in 53 reports of medical intervention.
Consumers should stop using the recalled magnet sets immediately and take all associated individual magnets away from children and teenagers. Toys R Us will contact each purchasing customer directly to coordinate the recall and provide a full refund. Returns of the magnet sets will not be accepted in stores. Customers can also contact Toys R Us at (800) 869-7787 or visit www.toysrus.com for more information.
The recalled product
- Product
- Buckyballs high-powered magnet sets
- Manufacturer
- Maxfield & Oberton LLC
- Category
- Consumer Product — Toys
- Affected units
- 60
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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