SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – (ABC 4 News) A law suit filed by a Utah family helped bring a massive recall of window blinds that can injure or kill young children.
The recall issued on Tuesday by the Consumer Product Safety Commission affects 50-million Roman shades and roll-up blinds and retailers like Walmart, JC Penny, Pottery Barn and Big Lots are announcing *related recalls of their own.
People who have blinds or shades in their home that use open pull cords should stop using them, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, especially if they have small children who could get their neck wrapped up in the cord.
The Wentz family found out the dangers of window cords the hard way. “She would have been almost five this next year,” said Leslie Wentz. Leslie and her husband Travis want parents to know what happened to them to prevent another family from suffering the trauma they did three years ago. Their 19 month old baby girl, Abbigale, got her neck caught in a mini blind cord at a day care center in Layton and died from strangulation. "I still have a hard time, especially at this time of year I think. This will be our third Christmas without her." The Wentz family filed a lawsuit against the day care provider and the manufacturer who installed the blinds. "It isn't about the money, we don't care about money," said Travis Wentz. "It is about awareness and making changes that protect children."
Cases like this and dozens of other deaths prompted the government and the Window Covering Safety Council to issue a massive product recall. 50-million Roman style shades and roll up blinds now off the market. "It might be a good idea to also check with your child care provider to make sure they are aware of the danger and they are taking the necessary precautions,” said Jessica Clark of the Utah Safety Council.
Salt Lake window covering store owner Cory Rawllison said many of his customers at Home Touch Window Coverings in Sandy now want the new safety blinds that don't have exposed cords. "The engineers from Hunter/Douglas have actually developed them so the cords are behind the fabric so there is no child safety for strangulation,” Rawllison said.
The Wentz family doesn't think the product recall will remove all the risk from drapery cords but they hope it raises the awareness of parents with small children. "Why even take the risk just take them down or retrofit them or do what you need to do to insure that your kids are going to be safe,” said Travis Wentz.
Home Touch Window Coverings is giving away free retrofit kits for the old style shades and blinds or people can order them on line at
www.windowcoverings.org.
