Epoch Everlasting Play is recalling 3.2 millions Calico Critter toys after reports of two child choking deaths were confirmed involving small plastic bottle and pacifier accessories.
The recall was announced by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPPS) on Thursday, March 9.
The recall comes after two children reportedly fatally choked on the toys: a 2-year-old child in 2018 in New Mexico and a 9-month-old child in 2015 in Japan.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, “Dakotah Dedios of Dulce, a town in the Jicarilla Apache Nation, was three months shy of her third birthday in 2018 when she died after choking on a tiny plastic pacifier that came with her Yellow Labrador Twins, a set of two miniature toy dogs that are part of the Calico Critters Nursery Friends collection.”
The family has filed a wrongful death claim.
It’s not clear whether other children have been injured by the toys.
The recall instructs parents to immediately take the toy bottle and pacifier away from children. You can then send a picture of the toys and your contact information to Epoch to receive replacement toys.
The recall involves 54 different toy sets for a variety of animal characters. Many of the recalled items involved sets of baby twins as well as several nursery and highchair sets. A full list of recalled product numbers can be found here.
The bottle accessories were sold in yellow, pink, blue and orange colors. One style of the bottle has two yellow handles. The pacifier accessories were sold in yellow, orange, pink, dark pink, blue and teal colors.
In past years, these toys have appeared on several toy watch lists, including Trouble in Toyland, an annual toy safety report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and the Massachusetts-based nonprofit World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH).
Calico Critters are popular small animal toys that started out in Japan in 1985. Encouraging pretend play, these families come in many species and include homes, playsets, and accessories.
Anyone with further questions may call Epoch Everylasting Play at 800-631-1272 or email productsafety@epocheverlastingplay.com.
