Family Voices — Julianna’s Story
Julianna died in a recalled drop-side crib.
Submitted by her mother
Seven-month-old Julianna was killed when the drop-side of the Dorel Asia crib she was sleeping in failed and trapped her between the mattress and rails. “Our precious little girl left too soon; she was full of love and joy. Julianna had a way of touching so many lives.” Now her family hopes her death will move others to stop using drop-side cribs. The crib had been recalled after another death in January 2010, but the family was not aware of this.
What’s happened since Julianna’s death?
The CPSC estimates that between 2000 and 2010, there have been at least 32 infant deaths caused by suffocation and strangulation, related to drop-side cribs. Since 2007, over 12 million cribs have been recalled due to various hazards including: strangulation hazard, risk of head entrapment, risk of suffocation, choking hazard, and risk of falling.
On June 28, 2011 the world’s strongest crib standard went into effect, ensuring at long last that new cribs coming onto the market will provide a safe haven for babies and their families through a ban on the drop-side crib design, stringent testing standards and other improvements.
How You Can Take Action
To take action and help prevent further incidents, injuries, and deaths,
there are a number of things you can do:
- Follow the ABCs of safe sleep at every sleep time: 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.
- Remove other products such as crib bumper pads, pillows, positioners, extra padding, blankets, stuffed animals, or toys from the sleep environment.
- Share KID’s safe sleep PSA.
- Report any incidents to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.
Check out our action steps for all children’s products here.
More Information on Cribs
Although mandatory standards exist for cribs, only recently has an effort been made to strengthen those standards and require testing and verification of new cribs. Because of these standards, all cribs must include proper assembly instructions and diagrams as well as cautionary and warning labels as required by federal law.
More information on Safe Sleep
A safe sleep environment is the one place parents and caregivers can place an infant and know they will be safe, even as the parent sleeps or attends to other things. Infants sleep safest following the ABC’s of safe sleep—Alone, on their Back and in a Crib, bassinet or play yard that meets federal standards and hasn’t been recalled. AAP also recommends babies sleep on a flat surface and unrestrained. Nothing should be in the crib except a firm mattress with a tight-fitting sheet.
View our safe sleep video to learn more about how to keep your baby safe while sleeping.