B.C. Coroner's Service Issues Advisory About Deadly Playpen
By 250 News
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 03:58 AM
Take a very close look at this playpen.
It is a "Century Fold-n-Go Playard" and the B.C. Coroner’s service is issuing an advisory about this item which was recalled in Nov. 1996 because it can easily collapse, trapping children in the “V” created by the collapse.
Nearly 11 years after that recall, such a playpen is believed to have been the contributing factor in the death of an 11 month old Richmond boy.
The little boy died in the emergency department of BC Children's Hospital Aug. 7 of this year. His mother had found him unresponsive in the portable playpen she had borrowed, following a recent move. The collapse of the playpen is considered to have led to his death.
The "Century Fold-N-Go Playard" was recalled by both Health Canada and the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission, after its top horizontal rails were found to collapse unexpectedly. When the horizontal rails collapse, a child can be trapped at the neck in the "V" shape formed by the folding rails.
This scenario led to the death of a child in the United States prior to the 1996 recall. There were also similar non-fatal accidents in the United States and Canada prior to the recall.
This tragic scenario might easily strike another family. The BC Coroners Service is asking adults to investigate whether their playpens meetthe guidelines set by Health Canada. Health Canada's website can be found at
The "Century Fold-N-Go Playard" is green and blue with white tubular railing.
The words "Century" and "Fold-N-Go" are clearly visible in large white letters.
Anyone who is currently in possession this model playpen is urged to disassemble and discard it.
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