WASHINGTON — Weighted blankets from Target are being recalled after two children were smothered to death inside of one.
About 204,000 Pillowfort weighted blankets are being recalled, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The blankets weigh 6 pounds, measure 60 inches long and 40 inches wide and have a removable, waterproof, washable cover, according to the CPSC.
The blankets come in eight prints or colors: unicorn white, space navy, pink, blue, gray, buffalo plaid red, blue constellation, and unicorn pink.
The cover is secured using a zipper, and young children can become trapped inside when unzipping the blanket and crawling inside.
In April, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old reportedly became trapped in the cover of a weighted blanket and died of asphyxia in North Carolina.
Target has also reportedly received two additional reports of children becoming entrapped in the weighted blankets, although the North Carolina pair are the only fatalities associated with them.
The federal government and Target are urging consumers to stop using the weighted blankets immediately and to contact Target for a refund.
The blankets were exclusively sold at Target stores and through the company's online store between December 2018 and September 2022. They retailed for $40.
Target is attempting to contact all known buyers directly to arrange refunds of $40 in the form of a Target gift card useable in stores.
Buyers can also contact Target at 800-440-0680 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT to receive instructions on how to mail the blankets back for their refund, or return them directly to a Target store.
