Cribs Recalled Due to Mattresses

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” More than 68,600 cribs manufactured by a Wisconsin company need repair because their mattresses can collapse, potentially suffocating babies. <br><br>Simmons Juvenile Products, of New

Wednesday, February 21st 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” More than 68,600 cribs manufactured by a Wisconsin company need repair because their mattresses can collapse, potentially suffocating babies.

Simmons Juvenile Products, of New London, Wis., has received more than 800 reports in the past four months of mattresses collapsing when the bracket hooks for positioning the mattress height broke, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

In one case, a 6-month-old child hit his chin on the side rail when the mattress fell.

Simmons is offering a free repair kit, which includes replacement brackets and instructions.

The cribs were sold under the name ``Little Folks'' and are constructed of maple or ash. The cribs are painted or stained in more than a dozen different colors, including natural, golden and white and ``Simmons'' is written on the top rail.

Discount, mass merchandise, juvenile product and department stores, including Sears, sold the cribs nationwide from January 1998 through December 2000 for between $200 and $600.

Most of the recalled cribs were made in 1998. Those sold at Sears were made in 1998, 1999 and 2000. A label affixed to the crib's headboard says ``Simmons'' and the two-digit year of manufacture. The year is the two-digit number following the model number. ``Little Folks'' is on another label affixed to the headboard.

The government advises consumers to stop using the cribs immediately and contact Simmons toll-free at 1-800-421-2951 to receive free replacement brackets. The safety commissions said Wednesday morning that the company has been receiving a large number of calls and if consumers have trouble getting through, they should call the CPSC at 1-800-638-2772.

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On the Net:

Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov

Simmons: http://www.simmonsjp.com