600,000 Simplicity Cribs Recalled

Nine major retailers are recalling 600,000 cribs made by Simplicity because the drop side can come off, creating a gap where infants and toddlers can become trapped and be strangled, federal safety officials are expected to announce today.

Simplicity's assets are now owned by SFCA, an affiliate of Blackstreet Capital, a Bethesda private-equity firm, which continues to sell cribs and other children's furniture under the Simplicity name. SFCA is cooperating with retailers in carrying out the recall.

In August, the CPSC issued a warning about the Simplicity bassinets because SFCA refused to do a recall. The company has said it did not assume legal responsibility for products made previously by Simplicity when it purchased the firm's assets in April. Retailers later agreed to carry out the bassinet recall and agreed to do today's recall as well.