Amazon Removes Dangerous Play Yard Mattresses From Sale

For immediate release
December 14, 2023

Contact:
Joyce Davis, Keeping Babies Safe; jdavis@keepingbabiessafe.org; (908) 581-8699
Nancy Cowles, KID; nancy@kidsindanger.org; (312) 218-5593

In a victory for child safety and families nationwide, Amazon has removed over 150 illegal sellers of play yard mattresses from sale on its website. The mattresses were thicker than the 1.5 inches allowed under the standard.

In 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a new safety standard for crib mattresses, as well as after-market mattresses used in play yards and cribs. The CPSC is aware of at least 494 incidents between 2010 and 2021 related to crib mattresses, including 139 deaths and 355 nonfatal incidents related to crib mattresses.

The new safety requirements address hazards including excessively soft mattresses and lacerations from coil springs. The standard also requires that any mattress sold for use in a play yard meet the same requirements as the original mattress, so that babies do not suffocate in a gap between the mattress and the sides of the play yard. 

Joyce Davis of Keeping Babies Safe has worked tirelessly since her son Garret died to ban the sale of unsafe play yard mattresses. In 2015, Keeping Babies Safe filed a petition with the CPSC to ban unsafe mattresses like the one that killed her son in 2000. That petition resulted in the banning of certain thicker after-market play yard mattresses. Still some of these unlawful mattresses remain available for purchase on e-commerce websites like Amazon. Davis brought this issue to Amazon’s attention to encourage the company to remove these dangerous mattresses from Amazon’s website.

Over the past month, the CPSC has also recalled three play yard mattresses that violate the federal rule. Consumers should check if their mattress has been recalled at SaferProducts.gov.

“We are thrilled that Amazon has taken action to remove unsafe play yard mattresses from their platform,” said Joyce Davis, President of Keeping Babies Safe.  “The mattresses have already been banned by the CPSC, but it is critical that retailers – both brick and mortar and e-commerce platforms – take action to implement new safety standards.”

“These thicker and softer mattresses put babies at risk of entrapment and suffocation,” stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of Kids In Danger.  “Parents shopping online have no way to know they are buying an unsafe product – and often have no recourse with the manufacturer if their child is injured. We appreciate the work going on both at Amazon and the CPSC to remove them from platforms.”

“Caregivers often assume products, especially baby products, available for purchase must be safe for use.  The presence of banned children’s products on the market, however, demonstrates the continued risk to children,” said Courtney Griffin, Director of Consumer Product Safety at Consumer Federation of America.  “We welcome Amazon removing illegal sellers of unsafe mattresses from its platform.”

“By removing recalled mattresses from its website, Amazon is complying with the law and playing a direct role in keeping children safe,” said Martha Perez-Pedemonti, Civil Justice and Consumer Counsel at Public Citizen. “We applaud Amazon’s proactive efforts to remove dangerous products from its marketplace and call on other retailers to do the same.”

“In addition to removing illegal sellers and unsafe mattresses from its website, we hope Amazon will take the initiative to contact customers who’ve purchased any of these dangerous products in the past so they’re not putting more babies at risk,” said Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog at U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).

“When safety standards change, it’s critical for online platforms to make sure sellers follow the new rules—especially when infants’ lives are at stake,” said William Wallace, Associate Director of Safety Policy for Consumer Reports. “This kind of vigilant action helps keep everyone safe and makes online shopping more trustworthy. Ultimately, consumers should never have to worry that a product listed for sale violates our safety laws.”

Parents and caregivers should follow the ABCs of safe sleep: 1) Baby is Alone and has their own separate sleep space; 2) Baby is placed to sleep on their Back; and 3) Baby sleeps in a Crib, play yard or bassinet that meets the federal safety standard. The sleep surface should be firm to the touch, flat and not inclined. Other products such as crib bumper pads, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or toys should not be in the sleep environment.

For more information about safe sleep, view KID’s safe sleep video.