2,065,000 Mother’s Touch Deluxe Baby Bathers Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled approximately 2 million (in the U.S.) and 65,000 (in Canada) Mother’s Touch Baby Bathers. These are “infant seat” type bathers; and when the seat is lifted with the infant in it, the bather’s wire frame can abruptly disengage from its side hinge and the baby can fall from the seat. The CPSC and the Summer Infant Company of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, have received seven incident reports, including five reports of head injuries sustained by infants from two weeks to two months old. The injuries included 4 skull fractures and bleeding on the brain which required intensive care treatment. One child received a bump to the head and received treatment in an emergency room. The recalled baby bathers have a blue or pink plastic base which measures approximately 13 ½ inches in length by 12 ½ inches in width. The bathers’ model numbers can be located on the sides of the baby bather (near a warning label) or on the front close to the washing instructions. Model numbers of the recalled bathers involved are: 08020, 08050, 08054, 08070, 08401, 08409, 08404, 08405, 08650, 08655, 08659, 08754, 08940, 08944; 18004, 18040, 18049, 18050, 18120, 18125, 18129, 18254, 18360, 18375, 18379, 18390, 18394, 18440, 18445, 18449, 18470, 18475, 18479; and 38510, 38515, 38750, 38755. The baby bathers were manufactured in China and imported to the U.S. by Summer Infant. They were then sold from September 2004 through November 2011 by mass merchandising stores throughout the U.S. and online for from $15 to $30. Parents and caregivers should stop using these baby bathers immediately and consumers should contact the company for a repair kit. The CPSC, however, has issued a cautionary note saying that these baby bathers should not be used to lift and carry an infant. The Summer Infant company can be reached by calling a toll free number 1 (800) 426-8627 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by visiting the firm’s website at: http://www.summerinfant.com/batherrepairkit www.summerinfant.com/batherrepairkit. Because retailers will not have the repair kit, consumers should not return this product to the retailers where the bathers were purchased. To view a photo of the recalled baby bather, please visit the CPSC website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12262.html