The baby neck float brand “Otteroo,” headquartered in California, has refused to recall its products despite warnings issued by two federal agencies and a report of a drowning incident involving one of their inflatable devices.
Since the introduction of Otteroo to the market, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received 68 incident reports related to the inflatable neck ring designed for babies as young as three weeks old.
In all cases, the babies had to be rescued by their caregivers. While many of the babies involved in the CPSC incident reports did not suffer permanent injuries, some required hospital visits, CPR, or intubation, according to the consumer advocacy organization and media reports.
The CPSC reported that an Otteroo contributed to the drowning death of a 6-month-old baby in Maine three years ago after the child slipped through the neck opening of the device. Last year, a 3-month-old baby was seriously injured in New York in a similar situation.
Otteroo’s founder, Tiffany Chiu, claimed that the products are safe under proper parental supervision and pointed out that babies can also slip from other products, such as bath seats.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CPSC issued warnings last year for parents not to use any neck float products, citing the risk of deflation and possible strangulation.
Baby neck floats have become popular in recent years, but the FDA warned that their effectiveness has not been established, and they should not be used, especially for babies with conditions such as spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy, Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy.
It’s essential for parents to be aware of the safety warnings about baby neck floats issued by federal agencies and carefully assess the risks before using these potentially defective products.
Losing a loved one is a painful and stressful experience, especially when it’s due to negligence. If you have tragically lost a loved one in California due to defective products, you have the right to seek justice and compensation.
You don’t have to go through these painful moments alone. Ayuda California is available 24/7 to assist you and provide the support you need. Your justice is our demand!
