The recalls involve two types of cribs. The first is for 600,000 drop side cribs. The CPSC says that the crib’s drop side can detach when the spring peg is not engaged, which can cause an entrapment and suffocation risk to infants and toddlers. One death has been reported.

The second is for 985,000 cribs that can be put together without the safety pegs. "CPSC staff is aware of a death of an 8-month-old child who became entrapped and suffocated when the drop side of the crib detached in a reassembled crib where the safety pegs were not installed. CPSC is also aware of two entrapments and nine disengagement incidents in cribs where the safety pegs were missing."

A full list of the model numbers affected by the recall can be found at the links below. To get your repair kit, contact Delta at (800) 816-5304 anytime after 5 pm today or log on www.cribrecallcenter.com to order the free repair kit.

Infant Death Prompts Recall to Repair 985,000 Delta Enterprise Drop Side Cribs; Missing Safety Pegs Can Cause Entrapment and Suffocation Hazards
Infant Death Prompts Recall To Repair 600,000 Drop Side Cribs By Delta Enterprise; Spring Peg Failure Can Cause Entrapment and Suffocation Hazards [CPSC]

Asserting that government and industry safety rules don't protect children from the hazard, Toys "R" Us is dictating stricter tests and design standards that cribmakers have balked at for years. The company, which also owns Babies "R" Us, has the clout to do so because it sells so many cribs—hundreds of thousands annually.

Toys "R" Us is specifying the trees its suppliers can use, the way they attach spindles to crib railings and even the type of glue. Manufacturers that don't follow the new rules can't sell cribs in its stores.

The move by Toys "R" Us shows that major retailers, responding to parents' concerns, are using their purchasing power to redefine the safety of children's products—more quickly and more stringently than government regulators and groups that set standards for the industry.

Toys R Us says that it can speak for consumers when the government won't.

"We saw that there were products that passed the existing standards but had problems in the real world," Toys "R" Us chief executive Gerald Storch said. "Something needed to be done, so we did it. . . . We think that it will spread to the market as a whole."
...
"Clearly a consumer is not going to say, 'You need a slat integrity test,' but they want to feel confident shopping for products," said Storch, the Toys "R" Us CEO. "What we try to do is stand up for the consumer and say, 'What would they do if they had the facts?' "

Toys 'R' Us gets tough with cribmakers [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo: What Rhymes With Nicole )

Consumers should stop using the cribs and contact the manufacturer for a replacement set of brackets that will fix the problem.

Here's the info:

The recalled cribs include: Majestic Curved Top cribs with model number 9500; Majestic Flat Top cribs with model number 9000; Essex cribs with model number 7100; Brighton/Sussex cribs with model number 9100 and Captiva cribs with model number 5100. Only cribs with manufacture dates between November 1, 2005 and November 1, 2007 are included in the recall. The crib model number is printed on the white label on the bottom inside of the right side rail. The crib manufacture date is printed on either the white label near the model number or on the white label located on the bottom of the headboard. Cribs with a green sticker on the mattress frame are not included in the recall.

Sold at: Specialty juvenile product stores nationwide from November 2005 through November 2007 for between $400 and $600.

Manufactured in: Indonesia

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled cribs and contact Munire Furniture to receive replacement spring brackets.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Munire Furniture Inc. at (866) 586-9639 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET or visit the firm's Web site at www.munirefurniture.com

Munire Furniture Recalls Cribs Due to Fall Hazard [CPSC]

The Simplicity crib models with recalled hardware include: Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-in-a-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1. The recall also involves the following Simplicity cribs that used the Graco logo: Aspen 3 in 1, Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in 1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio.

When assembled incorrectly the cribs had a dangerous gap that could (and did) cause suffocation and death.

If you feel that the condition of your crib will not be helped by a repair kit, call Simplicity at (800) 858-8323.

Repair Kits Ready To Be Sent To Parents and Caregivers With Recalled Simplicity Cribs [CPSC]

PREVIOUSLY: Did The Chicago Tribune Embarrass The CPSC Into Recalling A Million Cribs?

Apparently, the drop-side can detach from the crib, which can create a dangerous gap and lead to entrapment and suffocation.

The Simplicity models included in the recall are: Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-in-a-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1. The recall also involves the following Simplicity cribs that used the Graco logo: Aspen 3 in 1, Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio.

The cribs were sold from 1998 to May 2007.

According to the New York Times, some of the older recalled cribs feature Winne-the-Pooh, but Disney no longer licenses its characters with Simplicity. The cribs were made in China and sold at Target and Walmart among other retailers.

This isn't the first recall for Simplicity, they've been subject to 4 recalls since 2005, according to the NYT.

"Simplicity builds safe products, and we work every day to make our products better and better," Mr. Waldman,president for Simplicity said. The company is offering repair kits, but would not tell the NYT if refunds would be provided to customers who requested them.

Here's Simplicity's contact info: (888) 593-9274 between 8:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Saturday
www.simplicityforchildren.com

Cribs Recalled After Deaths of 2 Children [NYT]
About 1 Million Cribs Recalled Due To Failures Resulting In Infant Deaths [CPSC]

One of the authors behind the study says that babies sometimes get tangled in the padding and can't squirm free:

Many infants lack the motor development needed to free themselves when they become wedged between the bumper pad and another surface. If the pads are too soft, the baby's nose or face can get pressed up against it, and the baby suffocates. If they are too firm, the baby can climb up on the pads and fall out of the crib.

"Crib bumpers can do more harm than good: U.S. study" [Reuters]
(Photo: Getty)