Fourth Child’s Death Linked To Recalled IKEA Dressers

Federal safety regulators have confirmed a fourth death linked to nearly 29 million recalled top-heavy Malm dressers and chests sold by IKEA. 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Friday that it had notified and provided IKEA with a fourth report of a fatality tied to the furniture.

According to the CPSC’s updated notice, the death occurred in Sept. 2011 when a two-year-old boy from Woodbridge, VA, died after an unanchored MALM 3-drawer chest tipped over, and trapped the child between the dresser drawers.

In addition to the four deaths, IKEA received reports of 41 tip-over incidents involving the MALM chests and dressers, resulting in 17 injuries to children between the ages of 19 months and 10 years old.

Safety regulators have identified at least three deaths related to non-Malm IKEA dressers. Friday’s announcement brings the total deaths related to the recalled dressers to seven.

Back in June, IKEA and the CPSC announced a full recall of Malm dressers and chests — along with a variety of other non-Malm items — that don’t comply with industry anti-tipping standards.

The recall came after IKEA offered repair kits and wall anchors to customers as part of a repair-initiative that just wasn’t getting the job done, as evidenced by the deaths of several small children.

As part of the June recall, IKEA agreed to come to consumers’ homes to take away old dressers and hand out refunds to replace the pieces of furniture. Additionally, if a customer wanted to keep the dressers, IKEA said it would send a crew out to ensure that the piece is anchored to the wall properly.

Refunds for the dressers were to work one of three ways: A full refund would be issued if the chest or dresser was manufactured between Jan. 1, 2002 and June 28, 2016; a store credit for 50% of the original purchase price if the product was manufactured before Jan. 2002; or a $50 store credit if the date stamp is unidentifiable.

Customers could take IKEA up on its offer by calling the retailer at a dedicated hotline or email the company.

While it’s understandable that reaching IKEA about the recall would be difficult right out of the gate, some customers said in September that they were still waiting for action after contacting the company multiple times.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist