WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is holding a hearing on the Committee’s investigation into dozens of infant deaths associated with the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper.
Mattel Inc. CEO Ynon Kreiz and Chuck Scothon, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Fisher-Price and the Global Head of Infant and Preschool, Mattel Inc. will testify today.
The hearing will examine how Fisher-Price was able to keep the Rock ‘n Glide on the market for a decade despite the risks it posed, and how current laws leave manufacturers to police themselves and American children and families vulnerable to dangerous products.
On August 13, 2019, the Oversight Committee launched an investigation into the recall of infant inclined sleep products that had been reportedly tied to dozens of infant deaths.
The Committee’s investigation examined whether Fisher-Price took any steps to ensure its product was safe before releasing it on the market, and whether the company should have recognized sooner that the Rock ‘n Play was dangerous.
This comes as Fisher-Price recently recalled two of its baby gliders after four infants died of suffocation, including a 4-month-old from Missouri.
Four infants died in the 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide Soother between April 2019 and February 2020, according to the CPSC. The infants were reportedly placed unrestrained on their backs in the glider, then were later found on their stomachs.
Scothon called these recent deaths “heart-breaking,” saying, “There is nothing more important to Fisher-Price than the safety of our products and the trust that families put in us.”
