Over 7 million Baby Shark bath toys recalled over impalement risk

Around 7.5 million baby shark bath toys have been recalled after dozens of reports that children have been impaled on its top fin.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission outlined the hazard as occurring “when using the recalled bath toys, particularly in a bathtub or wading pool, a child can slip and fall or sit onto the hard plastic top fin of the shark, posing risks of impalement, lacerations and punctures”.

The recall was issued on Thursday for “6.5 million Baby Shark bath toys and 1 million Mini Baby Shark bath toys”.

The full-sized version of the toy sings and swims when placed in the water. The toys have a plastic fin on top with grooves on one side and they measure about seven inches.

They were sold in yellow, pink, and blue, coming in individual packages and in packs of three. The mini-version of the toy swim when placed in water but doesn’t sing.

“Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bath toys and contact Zuru for a full refund of $14 for each full-size bath toy or $6 for each mini-size bath toy, in the form of a prepaid virtual Mastercard,” the commission says on its site. “Consumers should disable the tail fin (by cutting it on the full-size bath toy or by bending it on the mini-size bath toy), mark the body of the shark bath toy with the word ‘recalled’ and the unique code provided during registration for the recall, then upload a photo of the product, showing it is disabled and marked.”

The refund will be issued once the photo has been uploaded to the recall website.

The commission said that manufacturer Zuru “is aware of 12 reports of children falling or sitting onto the recalled full-size Baby Shark bath toy, resulting in impalement injuries, lacerations and puncture wounds, including to children’s genital, anorectal and facial areas”.

“Nine of the incidents required stitches or medical attention. There have been no reported incidents or injuries involving the Mini Baby Shark bath toys,” the commission added.

The toys have been sold at stores across the nation such as Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, Family Dollar Services, HEB Grocery Company, Meijer, Target, TJX Companies, Ross, and Walgreens, as well as online at various sites.