On November 10, 2014, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with McDonald’s, announced the voluntary recall of the Hello Kitty Themed Whistles due to choking and aspiration hazards. This recall affects about 2.3 million in the U.S. In addition, about 200,000 were distributed in Canada. The components inside of the whistle can detach, posing choking and aspiration hazards to young children.
McDonald’s has received two reports of children who coughed out pieces of the whistle that they had sucked into their mouths, including one child who received medical attention. These whistles were distributed at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide from October 2014 through the first week of November 2014 with Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals.
The recalled whistles are red and were included in a plastic Hello Kitty figurine holding a pink heart-shaped lollipop. The whistle can be removed and used to make sounds by inhaling or exhaling through the mouthpiece. When closed, the figurine measures about:
- 3 inches in height and width and
- 1 3/4 inches in depth.
The whistle measures about 1 3/4 inches in height and width and 3/4 inches in depth. A picture of Hello Kitty appears on both sides of the whistle. The text “©1976, 2014 SANRIO CO., LTD.” appears above Hello Kitty’s face on the whistle, and “Made for McDonald’s China CCW Chine” appears below Hello Kitty’s face on the whistle. The bag in which the toy is packaged includes the text “Hello Kitty® Birthday Lollipop” and the number “6” in the upper right corner.
Consumers should immediately take the whistle away from children and return it to any McDonald’s for a free replacement toy and either a yogurt tube or a bag of apple slices. For additional information, contact McDonald’s at (800) 244-6227 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT, seven days a week, or visit the firm’s website at www.mcdonalds.com.
As a consumer, safety advocate, and trial lawyer, I am continually troubled by the fact that manufacturers and retailers continue to sell dangerous products. Manufacturers, in their zeal to get products on the market, often cut corners and overlook safety when designing and manufacturing products. Manufacturers have an obligation and opportunity to thoroughly assess product safety before the launch of a product. It should not take a person to get injured for a manufacturer to make a product safe.
The Quinn Law Group, LLC, is a preeminent personal injury law firm with offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous product or through the fault of another, please contact Sean E. Quinn for a free, no-obligation consultation. Dial (215) 360-3666. We are Your Voice. Your Advocate.