Children’s Deaths Lead to Recall of Ace Bayou Bean Bag Chairs

Two children in the United States died after crawling inside recalled Ace Bayou bean bag chairs.

Approximately 2.2 million bean bag chairs have been recalled due to design problems that may put children using the chairs at risk for suffocation. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Ace Bayou bean bag recall on August 22, indicating that the chairs pose an unreasonable risk for children, due to the fact that the chairs can be unzipped. The CPSC warns that this may allow children to crawl inside and become trapped, or choke on the foam bead filling. If your child has suffered injuries while using a recalled or defective consumer product, contact a product liability lawyer today to discuss your legal options.

Recalled Ace Bayou Bean Bag Chairs

The bean bag chair recall affects close to 2.2 million round and L-shaped chairs with fabric or vinyl outer layers and polystyrene foam bead filling. The recalled chairs were sold in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, pink and yellow, and measure 30, 32 or 40 inches in diameter for the round chairs, and 18 inches wide by 30 inches deep by 30 inches high for the L-shaped chairs. The bean bag chairs were manufactured in China under Ace Bayou Corporation of New Orleans, Louisiana, and were sold at Wal-Mart, Wayfair, Bon-Ton, and School Specialty stores, and online at Amazon.com, for between $30 and $100.

Bean Bag Chair Fatalities

There have been at least two child fatalities associated with the recalled Ace Bayou bean bag chairs so far, both occurring when a child unzipped the fabric to crawl inside the chair. A 3-year-old girl from Kentucky and a 13-year-old boy from Texas both suffocated and choked in separate incidents involving the recalled bean bag chairs, and both were found trapped inside the chairs by their parents or guardians. According to the CPSC, Ace Bayou bean bag chairs with non-disabled zippers are a hazard because children may not be aware that they can accidentally inhale foam beads and begin choking, causing them to become trapped inside the chairs.

A Product Liability Lawyer Can Help

The CPSC recommends that customers check their bean bag chairs to see if the zippers can open. If the zippers do open, customers are advised to remove the bean bag chairs from children immediately, and contact Ace Bayou for a free repair kit to permanently disable the zipper. If you have suffered injuries caused by a defective product, or if you lost a loved one in an incident involving a recalled children’s product, our consumer advocates at the Leading Justice can help. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers harmed by dangerous products, and can help put you in touch with an experienced product liability attorney today.

[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Two-Deaths-Reported-with-Ace-Bayou-Bean-Bag-Chairs-Recall-Announced/[/box]