Swings and rockers recalled after baby dies in the US

Ellen Fitzpatrick

They were also sold in Canada.

More than two million infant swings and rockers have been recalled in the US after a baby tragically died.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission in the US announced a mass recall of the 4Moms MamaRoo Baby Swings and RockaRoo Baby Rockers for safety reasons due to entanglement and strangulation concerns.

The company received two reports of children becoming tangled in the restraint straps which are able to detangle below the seat if not in use.

Releasing a statement to the press, the CPSC said that “non-occupant crawling infants can become entangled in the straps, posing a strangulation hazard.”

This comes after one of the reports involved an unoccupied MamaRoo infant swing where a 10-month-old baby died from asphyxiation while the other reported an infant the same age having bruising on their neck.

There are no reported incidents involving the RockaRoo.

Now, two million MamaRoo swings and 220,000 RockaRoo rockers in the US, and 60,000 MamaRoo and 10,000 RockaRoo in Canada.

These products were sold at BuyBuy Baby, Target, 4moms.com, and Amazon from January 2010 through to August 2022.

The CPSC has explained: “Consumers with infants who can crawl should immediately stop using the recalled swings and rockers and place them in an area where crawling infants cannot access.

“Consumers should contact 4Moms immediately to register for a free strap fastener that will prevent the straps from extending under the swing when not in use.”

While a statement by 4Moms reads: “Families put their trust in our company when they choose to bring our products into their homes. That’s why we take every precaution and make the extra effort to ensure that our baby gear products not only meet but exceed all applicable safety standards.

“We are deeply saddened by the two incidents that occurred when babies crawled under the seat of unoccupied MamaRoo swings. After investigating the circumstances behind these two reported incidents, 4moms decided to conduct a voluntary recall in partnership with the CPSC.

“The free strap fastener kit we have designed is an easy-to-install solution that we believe will prevent any other incidents from happening when a MamaRoo or RockaRoo is not in use and an infant crawls under the seat. We strongly urge our consumers, retailers, and re-seller partners to implement the strap fastener solution to ensure the complete safety of our products.

“We will continue to hold ourselves to the highest quality and safety standards so that parents feel safe, secure, and confident in their decision to have 4moms support their family.”