Mattel agrees to $16.9M settlement over Rock ‘n Play sleepers

Mattel settlement overview: 

• Who: Toy company Mattel agreed to a $16.9 million settlement to resolve a stockholder derivative lawsuit. 
• Why: The lawsuit claimed Mattel’s directors and top officers failed to properly oversee the company’s unsafe and deadly Rock ‘n Play sleepers, which are linked to more than 100 infant deaths. 
• Where: The settlement is before the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. 

Mattel agreed to a $16.9 million settlement made to end a stockholder derivative lawsuit arguing the toy and family entertainment company’s directors and top officers failed to properly oversee its unsafe Rock ‘n Play sleepers. 

The nearly five-year-old lawsuit claimed Mattel’s top three officers and nine of its now-current or former board members ignored repeated warnings from the American Academy of Pediatrics about the dangers of inclined sleepers, according to Law360. 

The settlement — which still must make it through a court hearing and receive court approval — also reportedly includes requirements for corporate government reforms. 

Mattel’s Fisher-Price first issued a recall for 4.7 million of the Rock ‘n Play sleepers — which are linked to more than 100 reported infant deaths — in April 2019, before re-announcing the recall in January 2023 after more deaths were reported.

Mattel must formalize position of its head of product quality and safety

Among other settlement terms, Mattel must now allow its Governance and Social Responsibility Committee to oversee product safety and compliance issues and issue regular reports, reports Law360. 

Mattel is also now reportedly obligated to make formal the position of its head of product quality and safety and authorize them to speak with senior management, as well as have direct access to the aforementioned Governance and Social Responsibility Committee. 

The company, along with Fisher-Price, previously agreed in July 2024 to pay $19 million to end a multidistrict class action lawsuit filed by consumers over claims revolving around the Rock ‘n Play sleepers, reports Law360. 

A consumer filed a separate class action lawsuit against Mattel in December over claims the company sold “Wicked” dolls advertised for children ages 4 and up in packaging containing a link to an explicit website. 

Have you been injured by the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play sleepers? Let us know in the comments.

The Mattel settlement is In re: Kumar, et al. v. R. Todd Bradley, et al., Case No. 2020-0552, in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. 

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Melii Baby initiates spoon recall due to choking hazard
• Rava car seat recall impacts 608K units
• Plaintiffs drop Diaper Genie false advertising class action
• Newell seeks dismissal of Nuk microplastics class action