Two more infants have died since the Boppy Newborn Lounger was recalled in 2021, bringing the total number of known deaths linked to the baby pillow to 10.
On Tuesday, federal safety regulators at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission once again urged consumers to immediately stop using the product, which has been banned for sale since the recall. The agency also pressured Facebook to block the sale of recalled Boppy loungers on Facebook Marketplace, saying that on average the agency finds 1,000 of the products listed there each month.
“We call on you to identify recalled and violative products and to prevent their listing by your users,” the commissioners wrote in a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook parent company Meta. “By allowing such products to be posted, you are putting Facebook Marketplace users at risk.”
The CPSC and The Boppy Company recalled 3.3 million Boppy Newborn Loungers in September 2021, saying infants could suffocate while using them.
“Loungers and pillow-like products are not safe for infant sleep, due to the risk of suffocation,” Robert S. Adler, then the agency’s acting chairman, said in a statement at the time. “Since we know that infants sleep so much of the time – even in products not intended for sleep – and since suffocation can happen so quickly, these Boppy lounger products are simply too risky to remain on the market.”
The month after the recall, another infant died after being placed on the lounger for sleep and rolling underneath a nearby adult pillow, according to the agency.
Then in November 2021, an infant was found dead after being placed in a Boppy lounger in an adult bed – the 10th child known to have died.
Dangerous recalled products still popping up on Facebook Marketplace
The CPSC and safety advocates have for years urged Facebook to stop the sale of recalled products on its site.
Less than two months ago, CPSC Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric wrote the company regarding another dangerous product for sale on the site, the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play. The product, which was recalled in April 2019, has been linked to about 100 infant deaths, including eight since the recall.
More:Despite 100 reported infant deaths, Rock ‘n Play sleeper still for sale on Facebook Marketplace
And yet, Hoehn-Saric said that the agency had found nearly 4,000 of the inclined sleepers on resale sites over a 13-month period, mainly on Facebook Marketplace. Even though Facebook quickly removes listings flagged by the CPSC, he wrote that there is no way to know how many of were missed or sold before the ads were taken down.
In Tuesday’s letter to Zuckerberg, the commissioners said that Facebook appears to have since blocked the ability to search for certain terms related to the Rock ‘n Play, “limiting – but not eliminating – the ability for consumers to search and find such products.”
“This is a helpful first step, but a system that prioritizes prevention of such sales should be able to spot recalled products in real time, not just restrict searches when the matter gains government attention and public notoriety,” the commissioners wrote.
Meta spokeswoman Ashley Settle acknowledged in a statement that, as with other resale sites, there are instances of “people knowingly or unknowingly selling recalled goods on Marketplace.”
“We take this issue seriously and when we find listings that violate our rules, we remove them,” she said.
Though it is illegal to sell any recalled products, many are regularly found for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
A 2021 USA TODAY investigation found deadly recalled children’s products regularly changed hands through Facebook Marketplace even though technology such as photo or text recognition makes them relatively easy to find and remove.
USA TODAY found listings for 14 recalled products that had contributed to the deaths of at least 121 children and hundreds more reports of incidents or serious injuries. Many were listed by their brand names. Dozens were later marked as sold. Reporters also were able to purchase recalled goods on Facebook Marketplace and create posts for recalled items as if they were for sale.
Why is the Boppy lounger dangerous?
Infants can suffocate when using the Boppy lounger if they roll into or are placed in a position that obstructs their breathing, or if they roll off the lounger onto a surface such as soft bedding.
The CPSC on Tuesday, in its warning issued jointly with The Boppy Company, reiterated that the safest place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.
“Parents and caregivers should never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment,” the agency said in a news release. “Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs.”
Which Boppy loungers were recalled, and what should I do if I have one?
The 2021 recall included the Boppy Original Newborn Lounger, the Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger and the Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn lounger.
If you own any of these products, immediately stop using them.
Consumers who take part in the recall can receive a refund or partial refund, depending on the product’s age. For more information, contact the company at 800-416-1355 or go to www.boppy.com and click on “product recalls.”
Tricia L. Nadolny is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. She can be reached at tnadolny@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @TriciaNadolny.
