Cots recalled after child suffocation link

Stork Craft makes a range of cots, only some of which are being recalled

More than two million cots have been recalled in the US and Canada over fears that a defect could cause children to suffocate.

The recall concerns cots made by Canadian firm Stork Craft Manufacturing, around 150,000 of which carry the Fisher Price logo.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said four child deaths were related to defective cots.

The recall involves 1.2 million cots in the US and about one million in Canada.

The cots were made and distributed between 1993 and 2009, and were sold at major retailers including Wal-Mart and Costco.

Repair kits

The commission said there was a problem with plastic sides of the cots, which could fall off, creating a dangerous space between the cot and the mattress.

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"The bodies of infants and toddlers can become entrapped in the space which can lead to suffocation. Complete detachment of the drop-sides can lead to falls from the crib," the commission explained.

It said that there had been 15 reported incidents of entrapments, four of which resulted in suffocation.

In addition, it said there were 20 incidents of infants falling from the cots, resulting in injuries that ranged from concussion to bumps and bruises.

"CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs, wait for the free repair kit, and do not attempt to fix the cribs without the kit," the commission said.

Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive the kit, it added.