MILWAUKEE — With a quick search on Facebook's Marketplace and within a 60-mile radius of Milwaukee, TODAY’S TMJ4 saw at least a dozen Rock 'n Play Sleepers for sale, anywhere from one to five days after April 5, 2019, the same date a federal alert was issued warning parents about the infant deaths.
All were posted despite a federal warning issued to consumers "due to reports of death when infants roll over in the product."
To read the full statement, click here.
The Rock 'n Play has not been recalled even after a Consumer Reports investigation linked 32 baby deaths to the popular Fisher-Price product.
TODAY’S TMJ4’s I-Team found out Fisher-Price recalled the Rock 'n Play in 2013 for risk of exposure to mold.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, “Fisher-Price has received 600 reports of mold on the product. Sixteen consumers have reported that their infants have been treated for respiratory issues, coughs and hives after sleeping in the product.”
The I-Team contacted Fisher-Price’s parent company, Mattel, and CPSC asking why the Rock 'n Play would be recalled for mold and not for dozens of infant deaths.
Here is the statement from Fisher-Price:
“The safety of children is our highest priority. The loss of a child is tragic and heart-breaking.
"For almost 90 years, generations of parents have trusted Fisher-Price to provide high-quality and safe products for their children, and we work hard to earn that trust every day. We stand by the safety of the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper. The product meets all applicable safety standards, including those of the international standards organization, known as ASTM International, and is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). We continue to work closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding the safe use of our products, including the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper. It is essential that the product warnings and instructions are always followed. We will continue to do all we can to ensure that parents and caregivers have the information necessary to create a safe sleep environment for infants.”
The CPSC provided us with the same statement it gave us Tuesday:
"CPSC has identified a hazard with rollover issues in the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play involving 10 infant deaths. We issued an alert warning parents to stop using the Rock ‘n Play sleepers for children 3 months and older or if they can roll over before that age, but our work does not stop there.
"We are investigating other deaths that have occurred in the Rock ‘n Play. CPSC has requirements it must follow for any decisions concerning recalls. If the evidence shows the need for a recall, we will take that step.
"We continue to work on this very important safety issue."
