WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 10, 1998 -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), L.L. Bean Inc., of Freeport, Maine, is recalling about 10,000 backpack child carriers, model number AC25. Small children can become entangled in the carrier's harness,which poses a strangulation risk. Also, small children can work their way out of the harness and fall through a leg opening or topple out of the top of the carrier, which can cause head and body injuries.

L.L. Bean has received 23 reports of children falling out of the harnesses by slipping through a leg opening or toppling out of the top of the carrier. It was reported that 10 of these children received injuries, including head bumps, bruises, abrasions and contusions. Four of these children became entangled by the harness straps around their necks.

These forest green L.L. Bean Child Carriers have gray harnesses, and model number AC25, which is written on a tag in the upper left side of the rear storage compartment. These "backpack" carriers have kickstands for loading the child into the carriers. The "L.L. Bean " label is on the back of the carrier.

The L.L. Bean website and catalogs, and L.L. Bean retail stores in Maine, Oregon, New Hampshire and Delaware sold the carriers between January 1997 and October 1998 for about $99.

Consumers should stop using the carriers immediately and call L.L. Bean at (800) 555-9717 anytime to receive instructions for returning the carrier for a refund or for any other information about this recall.

Other models of L.L. Bean backpack child carriers are not part of this recall.



The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information or report product hazards to info@cpsc.gov.

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