Big Lots recalls bunk bed after boy dies in Iowa. / Image: marada/Flickr/CC BY-ND
Discount retailer Big Lots has voluntarily recalled a metal futon bunk bed they sold between January 2009 and April 2010. The recall comes following the death of a three-year-old boy who became tapped in the bed, leading to his death.
30,000 beds recalled
The Columbus, Ohio-based firm, which sold the product exclusively, is recalling about 30,000 of the bunk beds. The product has an upper frame designed for a twin mattress and a lower futon frame which folds up to a seated position. The assembled, China-made product sold for about $200. The specific product is identified by the model number BFB1008, found on the upper bunk support rail.
Iowa child became trapped
The death occurred in Burlington, Iowa, on March 14, 2010. The boy’s head became trapped between the rails when the futon was lowered from a seated position to the flat bed position. The rails were too heavy for him to free himself. CPR was administered, but the child died of compression asphyxiation at a local hospital.
Ladder an additional hazard
Another potential hazard of the product involves the attached ladder. The space between the bottom rung and the futon frame is small enough for a child’s body to pass through, but not his or her head. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that this could possibly lead to head and neck entrapment injuries.
CPSC investigation
Patti Davis, a spokeswoman for the CPSC, said Thursday that an investigation into the product began four days after the boy’s death. The delay between the sales moratorium and the recall was due to the investigation and the time it took to find a solution to make the product meet safety standards.
Repair kit offered
That solution comes in the form a free repair kit which consumers can obtain from Big Lots. The kit contains a new ladder and parts that can be installed at home.
Davis said, “We would really encourage consumers to respond…they need to get that repair kit from Big Lots and put it in place.”
Consumers should contact retailer
Owners of the BFB1008 bed should contact Big Lots via their recall hotline at 866-244-5687. The retailer can also be reached by email at their website, www.biglots.com.
