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4-year-old injured after chest of drawers tips over, manufacturer warning parents to "anchor it"

Chest of drawers sold at Walmart recalled
Posted at 4:33 PM, Sep 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-06 18:58:31-04

A warning to parents came as another manufacturer recalled furniture due to a tipping danger. More than 1.5 million chests of drawers are being recalled after reports of a four-year-old being injured by one of them tipping over.

The recall involves Mainstays' chests of drawers sold in six colors at Walmart and other retailers nationwide, as well as on walmart.com.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the recalled chest of drawers are unstable if they are not anchored to the wall. People who have one of these chest of drawers are urged to stop using it immediately and move it away from where a child can access it until it can properly anchored.

Owners can contact the distributor, Ameriwood Home, for a free repair kit that includes a wall anchoring device and feet for the unit. You can reach Ameriwood home at 877-222-7460 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. central time Monday through Friday. You can also contact the company online at www.Ameriwood.com. Click on support for more information.

Dangers of Tipping Furniture according to the CPSC:

  • A child dies every two weeks from getting hit or trapped. 
  • Most of those victims are between the ages of 3 and 5.
  • Usually these tip-overs happen in the bedroom.
  • The number one thing that falls on children is a TV.

With so many deaths from falling furniture, there are things that can be done to keep kids safe.

Secure TVs, dressers and bookcases with restraint straps. They can be found online and in baby specialty stores.

Keep the remote or children's toys off of high surfaces where they could be tempted to climb the furniture to get them.

41 Action News has partnered with Charlie's House in the past to help distribute safety straps for families. 
 
Charlie's House teaches parents about dangers in and around the home, including falling furniture. They provide straps and brackets to secure dressers and televisions so they can't fall. They don't cost much and are easy to install. The parents of Charlie Horn founded the non-profit in 2007, after a dresser fell on and killed him.