Recalled Toys Still Available
Retailers scrambled this week to keep millions of popular toys voluntarily recalled by Mattel out of the hands of consumers, pulling them off the shelves and posting warnings in their stores that they pose hazards to children. As Orlando injury lawyers, we find it unfortunate that many of these products can still be obtained online.
For example, eBay, the online auction site appears to have dozens of new Polly Pocket play sets, equipped with tiny, high-powered magnets that could cause serious injuries if swallowed. According to one news source, there was a Doggie Day Care play set and several Barbie and Tanner sets, which had been pulled because they contain similar magnets.
There were reports of 173 hits on the key words "Sarge car," referring to the tie-in toy from the Pixar movie Cars that was recalled because of high levels of lead in the decorative paint. While some sellers specified their items were the lead-free version made in Thailand, others were the lead-tainted models from China.
This week's Mattel recall, the second this month for the world's largest toy company, involved 9.6 million toys sold in the United States. There were 7.3 million Polly Pocket play sets, representing 58 models, recalled for magnet problems, along with the Barbie and the Doggie Day Care sets, and some Batman Magna and One Piece action figures. The remaining 253,000 items were the Sarge cars. Obviously, parents must remain vigilant when buying toys for their children.
