In a heartbreaking incident, federal safety regulators are investigating the death of a third child due to an IKEA dresser tipping over. These devastating events are tragically common, with a child in the U.S. dying every two weeks from furniture or appliances that fall on them, according to statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Alarmingly, every 24 minutes, a child is injured by falling furniture.
The young boy, named Oliver, was just 22 months old when he was fatally pinned by an IKEA dresser in his home in Maple Grove, Minnesota, on February 14. The boy’s family attorney, Mark Johnson, shared that the family didn’t hear the dresser fall or their son cry out. They believed he was peacefully sleeping. Unaware of a recall related to the dressers, Oliver’s parents are now pursuing legal action against IKEA, claiming the company failed to provide adequate warnings.
Oliver’s tragic case is under investigation by both IKEA and the CPSC. This comes after IKEA initiated a repair program for approximately 27 million dressers and chests due to the risk of them tipping over if not correctly secured to a wall. CPSC spokesperson Laura Thompson referred to Oliver’s death as a “heartbreaking tip-over fatality” but was unable to provide further details due to legal restrictions.
IKEA has previously acknowledged the dangers of their furniture following the fatalities of two other young children, both of whom died in similar accidents involving unsecured dressers. In 2014, 2-year-old Mia Roberts from Ohio and 23-month-old Ethan Smith from California lost their lives due to dresser-related incidents. The CPSC reported that neither piece of furniture had been anchored to the wall.
Last summer, IKEA urged consumers to either remove the furniture from children’s reach or obtain free anchoring hardware to secure the dressers to the wall. The company has distributed over 300,000 sets of anchoring hardware since the recall announcement. A spokesperson for IKEA, Sarah Mitchell, emphasized the importance of following assembly instructions to prevent such tragedies.
While IKEA furniture is often in the spotlight, the broader issue of unsecured furniture poses a significant risk, leading to deaths across the nation. It is hoped that the McGee family’s devastating loss will raise awareness and help prevent further tragedies. Parents are encouraged to be vigilant about securing furniture to protect their children from these hidden dangers. For more information on home insemination and related topics, you can also check out this post.
In summary, the heartbreaking death of young Oliver due to an unsecured IKEA dresser highlights a critical safety issue many families face. With furniture tip-over incidents occurring far too frequently, it becomes evident that awareness and preventive measures are essential. Parents must ensure their homes are secure to safeguard their children from potential hazards.