Weighted blankets sold at Target recalled after deaths of 2 children

Some weighted blankets sold at Target have been recalled after the deaths of two children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall covers 204,000 Pillowfort Weighted Blankets sold nationwide from December 2018 through September 2022 for $40. According to CPSC, young children could become entrapped by unzipping and entering the blanket, posing a risk of death by asphyxiation.

Two deaths – a 4-year-old girl and 6-year-old girl reportedly became entrapped in the cover of the weighted blanket and died at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina in April 2022, the agency said. Target has received two other reports of children becoming entrapped in the weighted blankets.

The blankets weight 6 pounds and are 60 inches long and 40 inches wide with a removable, waterproof washable cover. They were sold in eight prints or colors, including  unicorn white, space navy, pink, blue, gray, buffalo plaid red, blue constellation, and unicorn pink.

Item numbers included in the recall are printed on the fabric tag attached to the removable covers and include: 097-02-0140 (Unicorn – White), 097-02-0148 (Space Navy), 097-02-0361(Pink), 097-02-0363 (Blue), 097-02-0364 (Gray), 097-02-1603 (Buffalo Plaid – Red), 097-02-3904 (Blue Constellation) and 097-02-3905 (Unicorn – Pink).

People are urged to stop using the product immediately.

You can contact Target at 800-440-0680 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT daily to receive a prepaid return label to return the blankets by mail or return to any Target store. You can also go here for more information on returns.