7.5 million Baby Shark bath toys are recalled after they cut or stabbed children

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Approximately 7.5 million “Baby Shark” bath toys, which sing and swim, are being recalled due to multiple instances of lacerations and puncture wounds suffered by children who played with them.

Zuru, a toymaker based in El Segundo, California, has announced a recall for both the full-size and mini variants of its robotic baby shark toys. These toys, distinguished by their hard plastic top fins, have been identified as potential causes of injury.

As per reports, there have already been twelve instances of injuries caused by the full-sized Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys, manufactured by Zuru. In these incidents, children either sat on or fell onto these toys. Out of these twelve cases, nine required medical attention or stitches, as revealed by a press release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued on Thursday.

Although the reported injuries are limited to the full-sized toys, Zuru is also recalling the Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys as a precautionary measure.

Consumers who own these recalled toys have been asked to stop using them immediately and to reach out to Zuru for a full refund. For the refund process, consumers are required to either cut off or bend the tail fin of the toy, mark the body of the baby shark with “recalled” and a registration code, and then upload a photograph of it on a dedicated recall website.

Further information about the recall:

• Stellantis is recalling more than 354,000 Jeeps worldwide due to detachable rear coil springs while in motion.
• The US is exerting pressure on an air bag inflator company that is refusing to recall its product despite recorded incidents of deaths and injuries.

The recalled toys can be identified through their model numbers and date codes. The Zuru Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Sing & Swim Bath Toys and the Robo Alive Junior Mini Baby Shark Swimming Bath Toys were available for purchase in-store and online at various retailers, including Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, and TJX Companies, between May 2019 and March 2023.

Zuru clarified in a company statement that the recall only applies to those versions of the baby shark toys that have a hard plastic fin. The latest toys, which feature a silicone fin, are not included in this recall, according to Zuru.

“We want to assure our customers that we are dedicated to maintaining the utmost standards of safety and quality for all our products. We have put measures in place to prevent any future occurrences by swiftly removing these products from retailers and replacing them with a redesigned product,” stated Zuru.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the agency as the Consumer Protect Safety Commission. The correct name is the Consumer Product Safety Commission.