Health Canada warns of crib recall

Health Canada announced Wednesday another drop-side crib recall after three babies in the United States died in the crib.

About 1,200 Generation 2 Worldwide and ChildESIGNS drop-side cribs, distributed by Montreal-based Juvenile Products Inc., were sold in Canada at The Bay, Sears Canada and other large retailers from 2001 to 2004.

Health Canada said there have been no reports of injuries in this country, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the U.S. reported two weeks ago that there have been three infant suffocation deaths there.

There also have been 20 other reports associated with drop-side detachments in the U.S., according to the commission in its February 9 recall of about 500,000 cribs.

Problems with drop-side cribs have been responsible for more than five million crib recalls in the U.S. and Canada since 2007.

This is the third drop-side crib recall in Canada this year, and comes on the heels of the largest crib recall ever in North America, issued in November by B.C.-based Stork Craft following the suffocation deaths of four infants in the U.S. and three reports of non-fatal entrapments in Canada.

In total, 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs were recalled in North America, including nearly one million in Canada.

In the latest recall notice, Health Canada said the drop-side plastic hardware can break or deform, similar to the Stork Craft crib.