Graco Children's Products Recalls to Replace Soft Blocks Towers on Activity Centers Due to Choking Hazard

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2007
Release #07-176

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 345-4109
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908


Graco Children's Products Recalls to Replace Soft Blocks Towers on Activity Centers Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Soft Blocks Tower Toys (on Graco® Baby Einstein® discover and play™ Activity Centers)

Units: About 40,000

Manufacturer: Graco Children's Products Inc., of Exton, Pa.

Hazard: The plastic covering on the soft block towers can detach, posing a choking hazard to infants.

Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received 137 reports of infants mouthing and chewing pieces of the plastic film covering, some of whom required medical attention. Serious incident reports include 32 infants who gagged and 49 who choked on the plastic covering.

Description: The soft block tower is a stack of three different shaped stuffed fabric blocks in red, yellow and blue. Pictures of apples, fire engines, ducks, bananas, birds and blueberries on the blocks are covered in plastic film. The soft blocks are one of nine toys that snap onto the tray of the activity center. Only model number 4635BEE with serial numbers 012705 through 063005, which indicates the manufacture dates of January 27, 2005 through June 30, 2005, are included in this recall. Model and serial numbers are located underneath the activity center's tray.

Sold at: Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Babies "R" Us, Toys "R" Us, Meijer, Shopko, Target, and various specialty retailers nationwide, and on Wal-Mart.com and Target.com from February 2005 through about December 2005 for $80.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the Soft Blocks toy from the activity center and contact Graco for a free replacement Tower toy without the plastic film. Consumers can continue to use the activity center after the soft block tower has been removed.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Graco at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or log on to www.gracobaby.com


Picture of Recalled Soft Block Tower
       Soft Block Tower
Picture of Baby Einstein Activity Center


Picture of Activity Center Label