PINE BROOK, N.J. — More than 3 million animal figures are being recalled after two children died after playing with them.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves all Calico Critters flocked animal figures and sets that were sold with bottle and pacifier accessories. These animal figures were sold at Walmart, Meijer, and other stores nationwide and online from January 2000 through December 2021.
The recall was initiated after Epoch Everlasting Play LLC learned about three incidents involving the pacifier accessory, including two deaths. One of these incidents happened in New Mexico in 2018. The other involved a 9-month-old Japan child in 2015.
A SaferProducts.gov report states that the New Mexico case involved a two-year-old girl. Initial information indicated she choked on a piece of food. However, during the autopsy, the pacifier accessory was found in the child’s bronchus. The toy was part of the Yellow Labrador Twins set within the toy line.
The recalled figures have the following item numbers printed on the bottom of the packaging. The bottle accessories were sold in yellow, pink, blue and orange colors. The CPSC said one style of the bottle has two yellow handles. The pacifier accessories were sold in yellow, orange, pink, dark pink, blue and teal colors.
Anyone with the recalled animal figures should take the bottle and pacifier accessories away from children. They should take a photo of the accessory and send the photo and confirmation of destruction to Epoch Everlasting Play LLC to get a free replacement accessory.
