Graco Children's Products has announced a major recall of its strollers amid reports of children suffering fingertip amputations, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported.
Eleven different models made by Graco, totaling almost 5 million strollers in the United States, are involved in the recall, the CPSC says.
"The folding hinge on the sides of the stroller can pinch a child's finger, posing a laceration or amputation hazard," the commission said in a release about the recall.
Models involved include Aspen, Breeze, Capri, Cirrus, Glider, Kite, LiteRider, Sierra, Solara, Sterling and TravelMate Model Strollers and Travel Systems, it said.
All the effected units, manufactured in China between Aug. 1, 2000 and Sept. 25, 2014 and sold under the Graco or Century brands, are single-occupant strollers with an "external sliding fold-lock hinge on each side and a one-hand fold release mechanism on the handle."
The affected strollers, available in the U.S. from Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, Toys R Us and other retailers, have also been sold in Canada and Mexico, it said.
Graco, headquartered in Atlanta, has reportedly received 11 reports of injuries linked to the strollers, with six reporting fingertips being amputated, four of partial amputations and one of a fingertip laceration.
Graco says a free repair kit would be available in a few weeks; in the interim the CPSC was advising parents to "exercise extreme care" during use of the stroller, confirming hinges are securely locked before placing a child in it.
They should "immediately remove the child from a stroller that begins to fold," the CPSC said.
The stroller manufacturer, in an announcement of the voluntary recall on its website, said, "Over the past 60 years, safety has been and will continue to be the priority at Graco."
"As part of our continuous effort to provide quality and safe products, Graco identified that select stroller models, including some of our LiteRider models that were sold before the updated hinge was available, have folding hinges that could in rare circumstances have the potential to pinch a child's finger, posing a laceration or amputation hazard," the company said.
Owners could verify if their stroller is included in the recall and order a repair kit by entering the model number on GracoBaby.com or by calling (800) 345-4109 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, the company said.
Model numbers are on a white label affixed to the bottom of the stroller leg just above the rear wheel, it said.
