7.5 million ‘Baby Shark’ bath toys recalled after multiple cuts and impalement injuries
WASHINGTON (AP) — About 7.5 million singing and swimming “Baby Shark” bath toys are being recalled after multiple reports of impalement, cuts and stab wounds to children playing with them.
Zuru, a toy maker based in El Segundo, California, said it is recalling both full-size and mini versions of its robotic baby shark toys with hard plastic top fins, which carry the risk of injury.
Twelve injuries have already been reported with Zuru’s full-size Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys – after children sat or fell on the now-recalled products. Nine of these impalement, cut and puncture wounds required stitches or medical attention, according to a Thursday release from the U.S. Consumer Protect Safety Commission.
While injuries have only been reported with this large toy so far, Zuru also recalls Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys “out of an abundance of caution.”
Consumers in possession of the recalled toy are instructed to immediately discontinue use and contact Zuru for a full refund. To get the refund, customers are asked to cut or bend the tail fin, “recall” and write a registration code on the baby shark’s body and upload a photo on a place dedicated to the recall.
The recalled products can be recognized by model numbers and date codes. Zuru’s Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys and Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys were sold in person and online from May 2019 through March 2023 at chains such as Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and TJX Companies.
In a company announcement, Zuru noted that the recall only affects versions of the baby shark toy with a hard plastic fin. The newest toy, which has a silicone fin, is not part of the recall, Zuru said.
“We want to assure our customers that we are committed to the highest level of safety and quality of all our products, and we have implemented measures to prevent future incidents by immediately withdrawing these products from retail and replacing them with a newly designed product . Zuru wrote.
