CPSC Warns Against Two Cradle Swings That Pose Suffocation and Fall Hazards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning parents and caregivers to stop using DNYSYSJ and OUKANING cradle swings due to the risk of suffocation and falls.

According to the CPSC, the cradle swings violate federal safety regulations for bassinets and cradles. The warning, issued on August 15, 2024, states that the “folds” of the cradle swing’s segmented sleeping pad and the pad’s thickness pose a suffocation hazard. In addition, the swing poses a fall hazard because the sides are too low to contain the infant above the thick sleeping pad. Also, the occupant restraint system within the sleep area can restrict the infant’s movement, which is a violation of federal safety regulations for infant swings as well as federal safety regulations for bassinets and cradles. The DNYSYSJ cradle swings also violate other safety requirements for infant swings including unintentional folding.

In 2021, a 3-month-old infant died while sleeping in a “cradle swing with a similar design, including a similar thick, segmented sleeping pad with an occupant restraint system,” according to the CPSC.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be put to sleep on their backs, on a separate, flat and firm sleep surface without any bumpers, loose bedding or stuffed toys.

How Can I Tell If My Baby Has a DNYSYSJ or OUKANING Cradle Swing?

The cradle swings were sold on Amazon primarily by two companies based in China doing business as HangBao and Zhudongkun for the DNYSYSJ brand, and Lushui and Fuli for the OUKANING brand. Unfortunately, identification may be difficult, as neither product is marked with the brand or seller name.

The DNYSYSJ cradle swings were sold from October 2021 through May 2024 for between $95 and $130 and came in pink, blue, dark blue, gray and khaki. The cradle swings are powered using an included USB charging cord. They have a thick mattress with three segments and a combination waist and crotch restraint system. The cradle swings include a removable head pillow, a removable mesh and fabric canopy, two hanging toys, an attached tray and cupholder accessory, and a gray and white remote control.

The OUKANING cradle swings were sold from October 2021 through February 2023 for between $80 and $145 and came in pink, blue and khaki. The cradle swings are powered using AA batteries or an included USB charging cord. They have a thick mattress with three segments, and a combination waist and crotch restraint system. The cradle swings include a removable head pillow, a removable mesh and fabric canopy, two hanging toys, and a white remote control.

Note that both cradle swings were reportedly sold by several other sellers on Amazon, including KUMOYOU and JAJADAH for the DNYSYSJ brand and Yangjiafu and FUYINGHAO for the OUKANING brand. Both models may have been sold on other websites as well, according to the CPSC.

If the DNYSYSJ and OUKANING Cradle Swings Are Dangerous, Why Haven’t They Been Recalled?

Contrary to popular belief, the CPSC does not have the authority to unilaterally recall unsafe products without a company’s cooperation. If a company refuses to cooperate, the CPSC must engage in protracted litigation or administrative proceedings to force a recall.

Apparently choosing to put profits over safety, the companies behind these two cradle swings have refused to agree to a recall.

What Should I Do If My Baby Was Injured or Killed in a DNYSYSJ or OUKANING Cradle Swing?

Alan M. Feldman, a co-founding shareholder and product liability attorney at Feldman Shepherd, recommends contacting a product liability attorney as soon as possible if your child has been injured by a cradle swing.

Feldman said that while product liability law requires that all products be safe for their intended as well as expected use, companies like these continue to disregard the safety of vulnerable infants. “Any company that puts an unsafe baby product into the marketplace in clear violation of U.S. safety regulations and then compounds the problem by refusing to cooperate with the CPSC and issue a recall should answer for the grave harm caused by its actions,” he said.

Feldman and his team at Feldman Shepherd, which includes shareholder Daniel J. Mann and partner Edward S. Goldis, have secured substantial recoveries on behalf of infants and young children who have been seriously injured or killed by children’s products, including baby slings, unstable furniture and magnetic toys. They presently represent five families whose babies died in separate incidents in infant loungers, rockers and inclined sleepers, which do not comply with the safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.