More retailers recall Simplicity bassinets

WASHINGTON — Eleven more retailers have recalled Simplicity bassinets, bringing the total to 17 retailers that have decided to recall the infant beds, which are linked to the deaths of two babies.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that 11 additional retailers are pulling the "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper" bassinets from their shelves because the products pose a strangulation hazard. The eleven additional retailers are the Army and Airforce Exchange Service, Amazon.com LLC, Bed Bath and Beyond including BuyBuyBaby, Burlington Coat Factory, Chelsea & Scott LTD's OneStepAhead, CSN Stores, Fingerhut Direct Marketing, Kohl's Department Stores, ShopKo Stores Inc., Sweet Pea Decor, and six stores of USA Baby.

The agency first announced on Aug. 28 that Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Toys "R" Us Inc., Kmart Corp., Big Lots, Target and J.C. Penney have recalled the products. The recall affects nearly 900,000 bassinets.

In recalling the Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible bassinets, the retailers have agreed to provide a refund or store credit to consumers who return the product to the store where they purchased it, the safety commission said.

A 6-month-old girl from Shawnee, Kan., was strangled on Aug. 21 when she became trapped between the bassinet's metal bars. In September 2007, a 4-month-old girl from Noel became trapped in the bassinet's metal bars and died.

The Simplicity bassinets have metal bars spaced farther apart than federal standards allow. Julie Vallese, a spokeswoman for the safety commission, said consumers can tell if their Simplicity bassinet is recalled if it has removable fabric that is fastened by Velcro.

SFCA Inc., the company that purchased the assets of Reading, Pa.- based Simplicity Inc. earlier this year, has refused to recall the products. SFCA maintains that it is not responsible for products previously manufactured by Simplicity.