Federal safety regulators are urging consumers to stop using Boppy Newborn Loungers, which have been linked to 10 infant deaths despite being recalled two years ago. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said that these loungers are no longer legally for sale. However, it found thousands of them on Facebook Marketplace since the 2021 recall began. The agency has made repeated requests to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook parent Meta Platforms, to have recalled items taken down from Marketplace.
The Boppy Co. recalled more than 3 million infant pillows due to suffocation risk in September 2021. The CSPC said that eight deaths associated with Boppy’s loungers occurred between 2015 and 2020. The agency added that two additional babies died shortly after the recall began. Babies can suffocate if they roll over, are placed on the lounger in a position that restricts breathing or move off the infant pillow.
“Until these sales are stopped, babies will continue to be at risk of death,” said CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka. He added that Meta “has not taken effective action” in response to CPSC’s average of one thousand takedown requests made each month over the last year for the Boppy loungers.
The Boppy loungers under recall are Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers. The products were sold online and at retailers nationwide, including Target and Walmart, between January 2004 and September 2021.
Meta’s online policy states that listings on Marketplace cannot promote or sell recalled products and encourages users to check current recalls before purchasing items. The company says that Marketplace posts featuring recalled products are removed when identified.
CPSC said that it has also made similar takedown requests to other online secondhand marketplaces and for other recalled products, including the recalled Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play sleepers, which have also been linked to infant deaths. Consumers can contact The Boppy Company to get a refund and for instructions on how to dispose of the products.
“CPSC continues to emphasize that the best place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard,” the agency said in its Tuesday notice. “Parents and caregivers should never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment. Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs.”
The Associated Press reached out to The Boppy Co. for further comment on the matter.
