The Recall Desk
CriticalCPSC·98156·Announced 1998-08-21

CPSC Urges Search for Previously Recalled Portable Cribs and Play Yards

CPSC urges consumers to stop using previously recalled portable cribs and play yards after a second infant death in a Playskool Travel-Lite crib.

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 known fatalities (two specific deaths and a total of thirteen children) resulting from the product hazard, which mandates a Critical severity score of 5.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to immediately search for and stop using previously recalled portable cribs and play yards. This warning follows the death of a 10-month-old infant in New Jersey who became trapped in a collapsed Playskool Travel-Lite portable crib. This is the second death reported in this specific product, following the death of a 17-month-old toddler in Chicago in June.

The hazard involves top rail hinges that must be turned to set up the cribs and play yards; these rails can collapse, entrapping children and causing suffocation. Thirteen children have died from suffocation in collapsed play yards and portable cribs manufactured by various firms. The affected products include the Playskool Travel-Lite portable crib, manufactured by Kolcraft from 1990 through 1992, as well as other models from Baby Trend, Century, Draco, and Evenflo.

Consumers should check their homes and daycare centers for these products and stop using them immediately. Kolcraft is offering a $60 bounty for the return of each Playskool Travel-Lite portable crib. Consumers with these cribs should call Kolcraft at (800) 453-7673 for instructions on receiving the refund and disposing of the products.

The recalled product

Product
Baby Trend Baby Express Portable cribs/play pens
Manufacturer
Kolcraft

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.