Ikea To Recall 29 Million Dressers After Death Of Third Child In Two Years

Ikea is recalling about 29 million chests and dressers that can tip over and are being blamed for the deaths of at least six children, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reportedly said.

Ikea and the CPSC told ABC News that at least 36 children have been injured by Ikea chests and dressers, which are prone to tip over when they are not anchored to the wall. The deaths — all children under the age of 4 — date back to 1989. The most recent account is from February this year.

Although the problem has been associated with several styles of dressers, it was the Malm chests and dressers that have been linked to at least three deaths over the past two years.

Ikea told Fortune earlier this year that it has sold 65 million Malm units worldwide over the past 13 years.

“We are announcing this recall today given the recent tragic death of a third child. It is clear that there are still unsecured products in customers’ homes, and we believe that taking further action is the right thing to do,” CNN quoted the company as saying in a statement Monday.

Company spokeswoman Mona Liss reportedly said details will be announced Tuesday morning.

The retailer is offering a refund or repair kit for affected dressers, the CPSC reportedly said. Furniture manufactured between 2002 and 2016 will entitle customers to a full refund. Partial store credit can be claimed for items manufactured before 2002.

Ikea is ready to send a crew to install the wall anchor for customers who don’t want to do it themselves, the CPSC said. Consumers are also being encouraged to store the dresser where children do not have access to it.

Jaquelyn Collas of Pennsylvania found her 2-year-old son pinned between his bed and an Ikea Malm dresser in February 2014, she told ABC Monday.

“I couldn't tell if there was a heartbeat, you know I was so afraid,” she recalled. The toddler was pronounced dead a few hours later.

“I didn’t know to anchor my furniture and, in my mind, I feel that we really shouldn’t have to,” Collas told ABC News. “Get rid of it, it’s dangerous, it’s a really dangerous product.”

Collas is suing Ikea, claiming the company failed to warn consumers that the “front-heavy” dressers were potentially dangerous, according to the amended complaint filed in May 2015.

Ikea denied any allegations of manufacturing defect or inadequate warning in response to the suit.

In January, a nonprofit slammed the Swedish company for allegedly having “illegal and unfair working conditions” in factories that make kitchenware for Ikea and several other major retailers. A month later, European politicians accused the company of evading more than $1 billion in taxes. Ikea has denied the allegations.