New York state bans drop-side cribs after infant deaths

State Sen. Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. announced last Friday that legislation banning dangerous drop-side cribs in New York state has been signed by Gov. David Paterson.

A fatal design-flaw in drop-size cribs was responsible for the deaths of two infants in Bellmore-Merrick in recent years. Drop-side cribs were recently banned in Nassau County.

Malfunctioning drop-side cribs have been blamed for multiple deaths and injuries of children, and more than nine million cribs have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for the dangers that they pose to infants.

“Drop-side cribs have been proven dangerous to children’s safety time and time again,” said Fuschillo, who represents the 8th Senatorial District, which includes Bellmore and Merrick. “Any product designed for children that can kill or injure a child does not belong on store shelves. With the signing of this law, New York state has taken a major step in protecting children from harm. I am pleased that Governor Paterson has signed this legislation into law.”

Fuschillo co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sens. Dean Skelos from Rockville Centre and Stephen Saland from Poughkeepsie. Ginny Fields, a Democrat from Oakdale, sponsored the measure in the Assembly.

Two local families who lost children to drop-side cribs, Michele and Henning Witte of Merrick and Robert and Susan Cirigliano of North Bellmore, have long advocated for the new law, working closely with Fuschillo to get the legislation passed. Both families also testified about their experiences at a public forum sponsored by Fuschillo in February.

“The law that Senator Fuschillo sponsored is a giant step forward in safeguarding our most precious residents, our infants,” said Michele Witte of Merrick, whose 10-month-old son was killed by a drop-side crib. “My son, Tyler Jonathan, died in 1997 because his neck became trapped between the side-rail and headboard of his drop-side crib. Dozens of babies have died after becoming entrapped when drop-side hardware caused the side-rail of their cribs to loosen or detach. Drop-side cribs don’t belong on store shelves, and thanks to this new law, they no longer will be in New York state.”