By Marianne Frederick

On January 12, 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Thule Child Transport Systems Ltd., d/b/a Chariot Carriers, of Calgary, Canada, announced a recall of approximately 44,000 bicycle trailers and 70,000 bicycle trailer conversion kits due to reports of incidents and injuries received. The CPSC and the company received 24 reports of the bicycle trailer's hitch mechanisms cracking and breaking, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle. Three of the incidents occurred in the United States.

Consumers should stop using the bicycle trailers and conversion kits and not transport children in the trailers. Consumers can　contact the company for a free repair kit which the consumer can install. Chariot Carriers can be reached at (800) 262-8651 between 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.　Eastern Time,　Monday through Friday, or consumers may visit the firm's website at www.chariotcarriers.com.

To view photos of the bicycle trailers and conversion kits being recalled, please visit the CPSC website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12085.html.

Wherever it occurs, child abuse is wrong. Wherever it occurs, victimization of children is wrong. We have heard a lot in the news in the past year about victimization of kids--from the Casey Anthony trial and on. From time to time, we offer suggestions that we hope help parents keep kids safer. At one time, we were taught the phrase, "stranger danger," but Ernie Allen, CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says it isn't necessarily strangers who are the biggest danger to kids.

Allen has some comments and cautions for parents* and those of us who are guardians of children. Allen says that people who victimize kids are rarely strangers. "The offenders do not match society's stereotype," he says. "Most Americans want to believe that someone who would prey upon a child...is evil-looking, a menacing, frightening stranger." Yet, most of the time those who victimize children are not strangers to the child, they are known to the child and seek out legitimate access to a child. Because of this fact, it is important that leading children-serving organizations do background screening of their staff and volunteers, and monitor and supervise interactions between adults and children.

Child victims rarely tell on the person who victimizes them. Research shows that at least 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be victimized in some way before they reach the age of 18, and just 1 in 3 will tell anyone about it. Allen says, "These are America's hidden victims. We have made progress as a nation in attacking this problem but even today, two out of three child victims suffer in silence. They don't tell Mom, they don't tell Dad, they don't tell anybody."

"Second, the first line of defense is a vigilant public. If you see it, know about it or suspect it, report it. Call your local police and then call 1 (800) THE LOST or report it towww.cybertipline.com, at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children."

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has helped bring thousands of kids home safely. Childsafetyblog.org is grateful　to the　National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for all they do.

By Marianne Frederick

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*Allen, Ernie, CEO, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, "Those Who Victimize Children Are Usually Not Strangers" Commentary,　12/09/11.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Target Corporation of Minneapolis, Minnesota, are recalling 139,000 Circo 17" Children's Travel Cases due to violation of the federal lead paint standard.

Followers of Childsafetyblog.org may have read about recent lead paint violations causing some children's furniture painted with lead paint that exceeded the federal lead paint standards to be recalled. This particular recall involves Girls' and Boys' 17" Travel Cases that are coated with excessive amounts of lead.

The Girls' 17" Travel Case has the pattern of hearts, butterflies and daisies against a pink or teal background with a plush butterfly toy attached to the zipper pull. The Girls' travel case has a UPC number of 618842135844. The Boys' 17" Travel Case has a pattern with jet planes against a red or blue airplane background with a blue plush jet plane attached to the zipper pull. The Boys' travel case has a UPC number of 618842135868. On both versions, the Circo brand label can be located on the handle on the top of the travel case. The UPC code can be found on the round Circo hangtags. Date codes beginning with 01/11 thru 08/11 can be located on a second white tag sewn inside the cover of the zippered main compartment of the travel case.

These travel cases were manufactured in China, imported and sold by Target stores throughout the U.S. and online from April 2011 through August 2011, for approximately $21. Consumers should remove the travel cases from children's access and return them to any Target store for a refund. Consumers can contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.target.com for additional information or instructions.

To view photos of the travel cases being recalled, please visit, the CPSC website at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12064.html?tab=recalls. The CPSC would like us to remind parents and other consumers that under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell this or any other recalled product.

by Marianne Frederick

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Last week, in cooperation with IKEA North America Services, LLC, of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled 169,000 children's high chairs because "the high chair's restraint buckle can open unexpectedly, posing a fall hazard to the child." IKEA has received eight reports of the buckle opening unexpectedly and three reports of "minor injuries" to children due to their falling from the Antilop high chair.

The high chair was sold nationwide by IKEA for several years from August 2006 through January 2010, for about $20 and came in different colors, red, blue and white, and had detachable metal legs. Model numbers affected by this recall include: 701.467.92 (blue), 501.467.93 (red), and 300.697.24 (white). These high chairs were manufactured in China between June 2006 and November 2009 from supplier number 17389. The production date (in the Year/Month format) and supplier number are molded into the underside of the seat.

Consumers should immediately stop using these high chairs and contact IKEA to obtain a free replacement seat restraint. Consumers may contact IKEA toll-free for repair instructions at (866) 966-4532 anytime, or visit the firm's website at www.ikea-usa.com. For photos of the recalled high chair, please visit the CPSC website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12079.html.

Granted, the price of the high chair is affordable for most families with young children, and IKEA does have a reputation for selling reliable furniture. And, IKEA is making good on providing consumers a new seat restraint. But perhaps it's time for American consumers to ask, do we really want to continue risking our children's safety on imported Chinese products? And, Why are these products getting to the marketplace and remaining for such a long time before incident reports are made known? We need to be scrutinizing Chinese imports for safety, quality and fitness for use. Our future, our children's future, may depend upon it!

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