Local Toddler's Death Prompts Window Blind Recall
LIVONIA (WWJ) - A Livonia-based window blind company is recalling over 450,000 vertical and horizontal blinds after a metro Detroit toddler was strangled.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves about 139,000 vertical and 315,000 horizontal custom-made blinds made by Blind Xpress.
This recall involves all Blind Xpress custom-made vertical blinds that do not have a cord-tensioning device that attaches to the wall or floor, as well as all horizontal blinds that do not have inner cord stop devices.
The CPSC says both types of blinds pose a serious risk to children, who can become entangled in a cord loop and strangle.
In 2009, a 2-year-old girl from Commerce Township was reportedly strangled in the loop of a vertical blind cord that was not attached to the wall or floor. The case was settled out of court.
The blinds were sold at various blind specialty stores in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana from January 1995 through December 2011 for between $16 and $380.
Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the window coverings and contact the Window Covering Safety Council to receive a free repair kit.
For more information, contact the WCSC 1-800-506-4636 or visit www.windowcoverings.org.
