A third child has tragically lost their life due to an IKEA dresser tipping over, prompting an investigation by federal safety regulators. This heartbreaking incident highlights a disturbing trend in American homes, where a child dies every two weeks from furniture or appliances falling on them, as reported by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Furthermore, a child is injured by falling furniture every 24 minutes in the United States.
Little Benjamin “Ben” Thompson, just 22 months old, was crushed under an IKEA dresser in his home in Maplewood, Minnesota, on February 14. The family’s attorney, Alan Feldman, revealed that the family did not hear the dresser topple nor Ben’s cries, believing he was simply asleep. Unaware of a prior recall, Ben’s parents are now pursuing legal action against IKEA, asserting that the company failed to issue a strong enough warning regarding the dangers.
IKEA and the CPSC are currently investigating Ben’s unfortunate death, which follows the retailer’s announcement of a repair program for approximately 27 million chests and dressers. The risk of these pieces tipping over is significantly increased when they are not securely anchored to a wall. According to CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson, this incident is classified as a “tragic tip-over fatality,” but he could not provide additional details due to legal restrictions.
This follows the deaths of two other children in previous years due to incidents involving IKEA furniture. In 2014, two-year-old Liam Smith from Pennsylvania and 23-month-old Ella Johnson from Washington both succumbed to similar accidents. Neither piece of furniture involved was anchored to the wall, as reported by the CPSC. IKEA has acknowledged three other fatalities related to their dressers and has urged consumers to either remove these items from children’s reach or secure them using the anchoring hardware provided with the furniture.
The Swedish company noted that it has distributed over 300,000 sets of anchoring hardware since the recall announcement. “To prevent tip-overs, it is essential to attach products to the wall using the provided restraints as outlined in the assembly instructions,” stated IKEA spokesperson Mona Astra Liss. However, safety advocates argue that merely including anchoring hardware isn’t sufficient, as many consumers remain unaware of the potential dangers.
It’s important to note that the issue extends beyond IKEA products. With a child dying every two weeks from falling furniture, there is a widespread lack of awareness among parents regarding the necessity of securing furniture. It is hoped that the Thompson family’s devastating experience will increase awareness and help prevent future tragedies.
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Summary
A 22-month-old boy, Benjamin Thompson, tragically died after an IKEA dresser fell on him, highlighting the critical issue of unsecured furniture in homes. This incident is part of a broader pattern, with a child dying every two weeks from furniture-related accidents. Families are urged to secure furniture to walls to prevent such tragedies. IKEA is under investigation and has been distributing anchoring hardware to mitigate these risks.