• September 24, 2007

Simplicity Inc. is recalling 1 million baby cribs sold under the Simplicity and Graco brands after two infants and a year-old child died in them. On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in all three deaths, the consumer had installed the drop-rail side of the crib upside down, creating a gap that children can slide into and suffocate.

The recalled cribs, sold nationwide from January 1998 through May 2007, were made in China and involve multiple models and model numbers.

In other recall news, Mattel Inc. apologized to China on Friday over the recall of Chinese-made toys, blaming itself for design flaws and saying it had recalled more lead-tainted toys than was justified.

According to the Associated Press, Thomas Debrowski, Mattel EVP/worldwide operations, told Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang: "Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls. And Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys."

--Nina M. Lentini