Furniture withdrawn after 4-year-old’s death

This week, an American agency withdrew a piece of furniture from sale after the death of a 4-year-old boy.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Dania Furniture of Boise, Idaho, announced Thursday a recall of the Hayden shelf.

“The recalled shelf is unstable unless secured to a wall, creating a tipping and entrapment risk that could result in death or serious injury to children,” the CPSC said in a news release. “In August 2023, Dania Furniture received one report of an incident of an unanchored bookcase tipping over, resulting in the death of a 4-year-old child.”

Over the past few months, the CPSC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued recalls for numerous products and food items for a variety of reasons.

The CPSC recall notice asks customers to “immediately discontinue use of the recalled shelf if it is not attached to a wall and place it in a location where children cannot access it.

“If assembly/anchoring cannot be performed for any reason or if consumers would prefer a refund, Dania Furniture will refund the full purchase price of the recalled shelving unit and arrange for collection and/or disposal of the recalled shelving unit. Dania Furniture is also contacting all purchasers directly.”

The approximately 940 recalled shelves were sold exclusively by Dania Furniture, with stores located nationwide and also online. The recalled products were sold from November 2017 to February 2024 for about $370, the recall notice said.

“The recalled Hayden bookcase features six storage compartments and is constructed of brown wood with three sliding white doors. It is 35.5 inches wide, 16 inches deep, and 73 inches high. A label on the back of each unit includes the product name and SKU number LB2225/A,” the recall notice reads.

In a statement, Dania Furniture told customers they can contact the company to receive a “rollover protection kit” with instructions.

“We will also be happy to arrange free installation of a rollover protection kit in your home,” the company said, adding that customers can also schedule a return of the product “for a full refund.”

Dania Furniture directed Newsweek to the CPSC statement when reached for comment via email.

Earlier this month, the CPSC announced a similar recall of rechargeable flashlights after a consumer died when the product overheated.