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Product Recall Number: 99-009

Why was Individually sold xylophones, Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets recalled?

The rounded ends of the xylophone mallets are smaller in diameter than the 1.75-inch standard for small balls. The mallets can get stuck in the throats of young children, blocking their airways, and possibly causing death.

Individually sold xylophones, Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets
Here's product recall specific data for Individually sold xylophones, Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets.

  • Product Recall Number: 99-009

  • Product Safety Warning Number:

  • Date: 1998-10-14

  • Product Safety Warning Date:

  • Name Of Product: Individually sold xylophones, Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets

  • Description: WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playwell Toy Inc. of Lake Forest, Calif., recalled the mallets in approximately 200,000 individually sold xylophones, 150,000 Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and 1,800 Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets. The rounded ends of the xylophone mallets are smaller in diameter than the 1.75-inch standard for small balls. The mallets can get stuck in the throats of young children, blocking their airways, and possibly causing death. CPSC and Playwell Toy were aware of one serious injury to a 6-month-old baby girl who suffered severe brain damage when the mallet became lodged in her throat. The xylophones are mostly white with a red button and yellow handle. The metal bars on the xylophones are red, yellow, green and blue, and the mallets are red. The individually sold xylophones have stickers on them reading, "PLAYWELL. . . SOUND TOY SERIES." Their packaging reads, "Music World Xylophone . . . Playwell . . . Item No: 044073." The three-piece Little OnesTM Infant musical gift sets consist of a toy xylophone and mallet, an accordion and a tambourine. The five-piece set consists of a xylophone, tambourine, harmonica and two maracas. All the instruments are multi-colored plastic. The sets are packaged in a box that reads, in part, "Little OnesTM Infant . . . Ages 6 Months and over . . . Hours of musical fun!" Each musical instrument has "MADE IN CHINA" printed on it. Target and other retail stores sold the individual xylophones from February 1996 to April 1998 for about $7. Kmart stores nationwide sold the three-piece musical set exclusively from May 1996 to April 1998 for about $10. Right Start Stores nationwide sold the five-piece musical gift set from November 1997 to August 1998 for about $24. Consumers should take these mallets away from children under 3 years old immediately, and dispose of the mallets. As the firm is out of business, a remedy is no longer available. Please discard or destroy the mallets.

  • Hazard Description: The rounded ends of the xylophone mallets are smaller in diameter than the 1.75-inch standard for small balls. The mallets can get stuck in the throats of young children, blocking their airways, and possibly causing death.

  • Consumer Action: None Listed

  • Original Product Safety Warning Announcement: None Listed

  • Remedy Type: Dispose, No Remedy Available

  • Units: Approximately 200,000 individually sold xylophones, 150,000 Little Ones® Infant three-piece musical gift sets, and 1,800 Little Ones® Infant five-piece musical gift sets

  • Incidents: CPSC and Playwell Toy were aware of one serious injury to a 6-month-old baby girl who suffered severe brain damage when the mallet became lodged in her throat.

  • Remedy: Firm no longer in business. Recall remedy no longer available. Discard the product. Do not donate or resell.

  • Sold At: Target and other retail stores sold the individual xylophones from February 1996 to April 1998 for about $7. Kmart stores nationwide sold the three-piece musical set exclusively from May 1996 to April 1998 for about $10. Right Start Stores nationwide sold the five-piece musical gift set from November 1997 to August 1998 for about $24.

  • Importers: None Listed

  • Manufacturers: None Listed

  • Distributors: None Listed

  • Manufactured In: China

  • Custom Label: None Listed

  • Custom Field: None Listed