Hand-held video baby monitors sold under the Summer Infant brand name are being voluntarily recalled because the rechargeable batteries in them are known to overheat and some have ruptured. Either incident poses risks to consumers that include burns, smoke, and minor property damage. Approximately 800,000 monitors are included in the recall.
The current recall is the second Summer Infant recall in recent years. In 2011, approximately 58,000 infant monitors were recalled because of similar problems with batteries. Twenty-two incident reports have been reported to the company at this time, prompting the voluntary recall of these products.
The baby monitors under the recall notice at this time were all sold with matching cameras and A/C adaptors. The defective batteries are in only the monitor part of the product. The company urges all consumers to remove the battery from the monitor, use the A/C power cord to operate the monitor, and contact the company about a free battery replacement.
The monitors in question were sold between February 2010 and the end of 2012. There were several models sold during that period at prices ranging from $149 to $350 (based on manufacturer’s suggested retail price).
The monitors were sold online and in stores by companies that include Babies "R" Us, Target, and Wal-Mart. Other stores may have carried them, too, including specialty shops that cater to infants and children. Amazon sold them exclusively online and other online merchants might have sold them, too.
Model names in question include but are not limited to Baby Touch, Safe Light, and Slim & Secure product lines. A complete list of baby monitor models can be found on the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website and the Summer Infant website. The CPSC and the company urge anyone experiencing an incident with these batteries or the monitors to please contact them with details.
Baby products are often resold at garage and yard sales, in flea markets, and by individuals online. Anyone using a Summer Infant baby monitor purchased through a reseller is urged to remove the battery and contact the company for a free replacement battery.
Summer Infant, headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, expects replacement batteries to begin arriving at their warehouses by mid-July 2014. Once the company receives the safe replacement batteries, they will be shipped immediately to consumers who've responded to the recall. Consumers can expect replacement batteries 7 to 10 business days after arrival at Summer Infant. Meanwhile, use the A/C power cord that came with the unit.
Each replacement battery will arrive with a postage-paid envelope addressed to Summer Infant. Please use this envelope to return defective batteries to the company, where they will be disposed of safely.
Sources:
- "Monitor Safety Alert." Rechargeable Battery Recall. Summer Infant. n.d. Web. Apr 28, 2014.
- "Summer Infant Expands Recall to Replace Video Monitor Rechargeable Batteries Due to Burn Hazard." Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumer Products Safety Commission. Apr 23, 2014. Web. Apr 28, 2014.