‘Nap Nanny’ Warning: Recalled Baby Recliner Blamed for 6 Deaths

A sixth infant death has been linked to the recalled "Nap Nanny" baby recliners, leading to renewed calls for parents to stop using the product.

ABC News reports that an 8-month old girl from New Jersey suffocated while belted in to the Nap Nanny reclining seat. The infant became trapped between the recliner and a crib bumper.

Suffocation, Injury Risks

The Nap Nanny, made by a now-defunct company called Baby Matters, were recalled in 2010 after one infant died from suffocation, similar to the most recent case, and 22 others were injured.

Although manufacturers claimed the product was safe when used as intended -- placed on the floor, with the infant strapped securely in -- the number of infants being injured or killed when they became trapped between the product and their cribs or fell out of the Nap Nanny increased.

Federal Lawsuit Settled

When the makers of the Nap Nanny refused to pull the product off the shelves, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) brought a lawsuit. At the time, five deaths and 92 complaints had been linked to the Nap Nanny. The suit was settled after Baby Matters agreed to recall all 165,000 Nap Nanny products it had sold to date.

Although it is now illegal to sell the Nap Nanny in the United States, the CPSC warns that the recliners can still be found at yard sales or given as a hand-me-down and that parents should avoid using the product.

Details about the recall and the settlement can be found at the former Nap Nanny website.

Related Resources:

• Another Death Reported in a Nap Nanny Infant Recliner (Consumer Product Safety Commission)
• Child Safety Recalls Ineffective, Report Says (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Baby Einstein Activity Jumpers Recalled After 61 Injuries (FindLaw's Common Law)
• KidCo Recalls 220K PeaPod Travel Cribs Over Suffocation Fears (FindLaw's Common Law)