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A US family has been left devastated after their 18-month-old son was strangled by a teething necklace they purchased online.

A distraught mum is suing online retailer, Etsy, after her son was strangled by a teething necklace purchased on the site. Danielle Morin says her eighteen-month-old son, Deacon, was found dead at his childcare centre after being strangled by the Baltic Amber Teething Necklace when the clasp failed to open.

A Heartbreaking Discovery

Deacon was taking a nap when he was strangled by the necklace back in 2016 and could not be resuscitated, with Danielle left to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support. “These products are dangerous products and aren’t always safe,” she said. “No parent should have to bury their child.” Teething necklaces are required to have a safety clasp that opens easily if the necklace is pulled too tightly, but the one that Deacon was wearing has a screw clasp instead.

The family’s lawyer, John Carpenter, says that the online retailer has to take some responsibility for the devastating incident.

“Baby necklaces should have a releasing safety clasp so if there’s any pulling on it, it releases,” he said. “This one that was purchased on etsy.com had a screw on clasp…that caused him to suffocate.”

Who Is At Fault?

Etsy’s have expressed their condolences to the family following Deacon’s death, but say that they are not responsible for the tragedy.

“Deacon’s death was a great tragedy and our hearts are with his mother and family,” they said in a statement. While we understand the desire to take action, Etsy is a platform and we did not make or directly sell this item. We believe that the allegations should be directed at the criminally-negligent daycare providers or, if appropriate, the seller of the necklace.”

We can’t even begin to imagine what this mother and family must be going through after the loss of their baby boy. If nothing else, Deacon’s story will be a powerful warning to parents about the potential dangers of these necklaces, but we hope that the family get the justice they deserve.

Do you think teething necklaces are an effective form of pain relief or a total waste of time? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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  • Very sad.

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  • I have three children, and have never used an Amber teething necklace, or accessory. I don’t know how they’re supposed to relieve pain.
    This is a tragedy, but suing won’t bring back their child. They made the decision to put the necklace in their child without the “safety” clasp, so must take some, if not all of the responsibility.

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  • Oh gosh, it would be so tough.

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  • Poor family, this was my fare with babies/,kids wearing the necklaces, my kids wore them as anklets instead

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  • So sad to read,my thoughts and prayers are with the parents.

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  • No, I never dared to put them around my children’s neck and don’t consider them as an suitable effective pain relief. I don’t even put a necklace on my 5 year old and have to instruct my 9yr old to put her necklace off in bed !

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  • I think anyone who willingly puts necklaces around a baby’s neck (teething or otherwise) is just silly. There is ALWAYS a chance that the necklace could catch on something or strangle the child. It’s just too risky even with a clasp that is supposed to release.

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  • I have been contemplating buying one of these, but even before I even start looking at them I am well aware of the fact that they would have to be removed when the child is sleeping or unsupervised. I don’t understand why it wouldn’t have been removed in the first place. Nor do I understand why, if the mother says they are meant to be fitted with a quick release, she continued to use it when it is a screw in one? Nonetheless it is still a tragedy, and unfortunately throwing around blame won’t bring her precious son back. However, the product should still need to meet safety standards and a screw on necklace shouldn’t be on the market to even purchase for a young child or baby.


    • I agree with you. It’s tough and it shouldn’t be for sale but there is a lot more to it.

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  • blame does not always help make things better

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  • Why leave a child to sleep with a necklace on. It wont make anything better by putting the blame on someone else due to negligence

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  • While this is horrible and tragic these necklaces are not recommended for just this reason or the whole choking on the bead problem. You can’t sue someone for your own misguided decision

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  • I was never comfortable with a necklace on my son, but have had an amber anklet on him since he was 13 weeks old, He is now 2 and we have never had a single issue with it.

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  • I think any necklace s dangerous for a Young child.

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  • What a terrible tragedy for the family and the child care centre.

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  • Yes. They are very dangerous. No matter what clasp they have. Common sense should tell parents they are a terrible idea. Nobody is to blame for this except the parent who decided to put the on their child. I’m surprised they’re even allowed to use them in a child care centre.

    Reply

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