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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