Recalled Baby Products Linked to Over 100 Deaths Still Being Sold on Facebook, Lawmakers Say

A giant digital sign is seen at Facebook's corporate headquarters campus in Menlo Park, Calif., on Oct. 23, 2019. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Despite high-profile recalls, baby products with design flaws linked to more than 100 infant deaths are still sold on Facebook Marketplace, a bipartisan group of four members of Congress said.

The products in question include Boppy Newborn Lounger pillow, which was recalled in 2021; and Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Play sleeper, which has been blamed for more than 100 baby deaths since 2009.

In an Aug. 17 letter sent to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the lawmakers wrote that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had made repeated requests to have Boppy Newborn Lounger taken down from Marketplace, but the product remains available on the platform.

“CPSC has formally requested an average of about one thousand take down requests a month for this product,” read the letter, signed by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee; Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), the committee’s ranking member; Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.); and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).

“To date, the volume of takedown requests has not slowed, and CPSC staff is unaware of any proactive measures Meta has taken to prevent these postings in the future,” they noted.

The lawmakers further warned that Meta is placing its users and their children at risk of purchasing and using a product that federal regulators found to pose a serious risk of injury and potential death. They also demand that the social media company provide more information about its product safety policies, how it monitors recall warnings, and whether it has any staff members dedicated to consumer product safety issues.

Similar letters seeking information about recall compliance protocol have also been sent to more than a dozen e-commerce and social media platforms, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, eBay, TikTok, and Shein. These companies are not accused of listing recalled products for sale.

The lawmakers asked Meta to respond by Aug. 31.

Meta’s policy states that listings on Facebook Marketplace cannot promote or sell recalled products. It also encourages users to check current recalls before purchasing items. In a previous response to the CPSC, the company said posts that feature recalled products are removed when identified.

“Like other platforms where people can buy and sell goods, there are instances of people knowingly or unknowingly selling recalled goods on Marketplace,” Meta said in a statement. “We take this issue seriously, and when we find listings that violate our rules, we remove them.”

Inclined Sleepers Recall

In January, Fisher-Price recalled nearly 4.7 million units of Rock ‘n Play sleepers, again following reports of at least eight infant deaths.

The product, launched in 2009, had been sold in major stores across the United States, including Walmart, Target, and online at Amazon until the recall in 2019.

L: Recalled Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper. R: Recalled Kids2 Rocking Sleeper. Consumer Product Safety Commission

At the time the initial recall was announced, over 30 fatalities were reported to have occurred in the Rock ‘n Play sleepers after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances, according to the CPSC.

A total of about 100 infant fatalities have reportedly occurred while using the sleepers, the agency said.

Those who have the Rock ‘n Play sleepers should immediately stop using them and contact Fisher-Price for a refund or voucher, the agency said, warning that it is illegal to sell or distribute the recalled products.

Popular among some new parents, inclined sleepers are designed to make babies who have acid reflux feel more comfortable. The idea is that a 30-degree incline would ease acid reflux and make it easier for the child to fall asleep.

Recent years have seen inclined sleepers being the subject of numerous recalls, according to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which monitors recalls involving baby products. Warning against using the popular item, the AAP says that babies in inclined sleepers may fall asleep in a position that can restrict their airway or can roll out and suffocate.

“The AAP recommends infants sleep on their backs on a flat, firm surface with no soft bedding or loose objects,” the professional organization said. “In addition, infants should share a room with their caregiver without sharing a bed.”

Longer Pillow Recall

The Boppy Company, a Colorado-based maker of infant products, in September 2021 recalled more than 3 million of its Lounger pillows due to suffocation risk.

Specifically, according to the company and the CPSC, infants can suffocate if they roll, move, or are placed on the lounger in a position that obstructs breathing, or roll off the lounger onto an external surface, such as an adult pillow.

(L–R) The recalled Boppy Original Newborn Lounger, Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission via AP

There were eight deaths associated with Boppy Loungers between 2015 and 2020, the CPSC said. Another two babies died in those pillows shortly after the recall began.

The products 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, according to the original recall notice.

“The best 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 CPSC said in June. “Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs.”