arget recalled more than 200,000 weighted blankets after two children in North Carolina died from asphyxiation, according to federal officials and Target.
The girls, ages 4 and 6, died in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, after becoming trapped in the blankets in April, according to a news release from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Target advised customers who purchased the 6-pound Pillowfort brand blankets to stop using them immediately and contact the store for a refund.
“A young child can become entrapped by unzipping and entering the blanket, posing a risk of death by asphyxiation,” the company warned.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences and support to the families who have lost loved ones,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “As soon as we became aware of the situation, we acted quickly to begin removing Pillowfort Weighted Blankets from our assortment and have pulled all of these items from sale.”
Target received four reports of children becoming entrapped in the 6-pound blankets, including the two deaths, according to the federal agency.
The blankets were sold exclusively by Target from December 2018 to September, according to the agency. The recall involved 204,000 blankets, according to the statement.
