Birth Trauma / Medical Malpractice

Peg Perego USA Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 223,000 strollers because of the risk of strangulation and entrapment, the company and the  U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Tuesday.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12232.html

The recall comes in the wake of the death of one baby from the stroller, and the near strangulation of a second baby.

A 6-month-old baby boy from Tarzana, Calif., died of strangulation after his head was trapped between the seat and the tray of his Peg Perego stroller in 2004. Another baby, a 7-month-old girl from New York City nearly strangled when her head became trapped between the seat and the tray of her stroller in 2006.

“Entrapment and strangulation can occur, especially to infants younger than 12 months of age, when a child is not harnessed,” the CPSC said in a press release. “An infant can pass through the opening between the stroller tray and seat bottom, but his/her head and neck can become entrapped by the tray. Infants who become entrapped at the neck are at risk of strangulation.”

My question is why did everyone wait so long to do the recall, when the death took place in 2004?

The recall involves two different older versions of the Peg Perego strollers, Venezia and Pliko-P3, manufactured between January 2004 and September 2007, in a variety of colors.

“They were manufactured prior to the existence of the January 2008 voluntary industry standard, which addresses the height of the opening between the stroller’s tray and the seat bottom,” the CPSC said. “The voluntary standard requires larger stroller openings that prevent infant entrapment and strangulation hazards.”

The CPSC said that only strollers that have a child tray with one cup holder are part of the recall, not those with a bumper bar in front of the child or a tray with two cup holders.

“Peg Perego” and “Venezia” or “Pliko-P3” are printed on the side of the strollers.

The strollers were sold at various retailers nationwide, including Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby from January 2004 through September 2010 for between $270 and $330 for the Pliko P-3 stroller and between $350 and $450 for the Venezia stroller. They were made in Italy.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact the firm for a free repair kit. Do not return the stroller to the retailers as they will not be able to provide the repair kit.

CPSC and Peg Perego warned consumers that these strollers may be available on the secondhand market, in thrift stores or at yard sales. Consumers should not buy or sell these recalled strollers until the repair kit is installed.

According to the CPSC, parents and caregivers are encouraged to always secure children in a stroller by using the safety harness and never leave them unattended.