Tuesday, February 27, 2001

By Jan Wesner Childs
Okinawa bureau

CAMP FOSTER — The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued recall warnings on three children’s items, considered dangerous and in need of repair.

None of the items were sold at Army and Air Force Exchange Service facilities, said Master Sgt. Howard Smith, an spokesman for AAFES Pacific headquarters on Okinawa.

The items being recalled:

Graco highchairs with a model number containing the numbers 3170, 36051 or 74001.

The highchairs were sold from January 1995 to June 1998 for about $35 at stores across the United States. They have a white plastic seat with white metal legs, and "Graco" is printed on the front of the tray.

The Product Safety Commission says the legs can pop out, causing the chair to fall to the ground. There have been 105 injuries reported, including a concussion, two broken noses, black eyes and bruises.

A free repair kit is available by calling (800) 617-7447. Additional information is available at www.gracobaby.com, under Customer Service/Recall information.

Simmons "Little Folks" cribs.

The bracket hooks used to position the height of the mattress can break, causing the mattress to collapse. The CPSC says babies can become trapped and suffocate.

Simmons has received more than 800 reports of bracket hooks breaking.

Most of the recalled Simmons cribs were made in 1998, although they were also sold at Sears in 1999 and 2000.

The cribs are constructed of maple or ash, and are painted or stained in more than a dozen different colors, including natural, golden and white. "Simmons" is written on the top rail. They sold for between $200 and $600.

Contact Simmons at (800) 421-2951 or www.simmonsjp.com/recall.cfm for a free repair kit or more information.

Barbie Sunglasses with floating pink glitter in the frames.

The frames are filled with a petroleum fluid that can leak out if they break. The fluid can be harmful to children’s eyes and skin, and can be fatal if swallowed.

The sunglasses are pink, with floating glitter on the temples and the words "Barbie" on the left side of the earpiece and "China" on the right side.

The sunglasses, made under license with Mattel, were sold nationwide in Target, Walgreen’s and Bradlee’s, from June 1999 through August 2000 for about $6.

The sunglasses should immediately be taken away from children and returned to the store where they were purchased. Consumers can call IMT Accessories toll-free at (800) 868-7870 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday for information or check out the Product Safety Commission’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

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