Drop-side crib ban passes Senate, Assembly

Legislation banning drop-side cribs passed in both houses of the State Legislature on Friday. A fatal design flaw in drop-side cribs killed two Bellmore-Merrick infants.

Michele and Henning Witte of Merrick and Robert and Susan Cirigliano of North Bellmore championed efforts to outlaw the sale of drop-side cribs, calling on local legislators and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to do so. They even testified before Congress.

If signed by Governor Paterson, the legislation will prohibit the sale, import, manufacture and distribution of drop-side cribs throughout New York state.

“Since 2007, the federal government has recalled more than nine million drop-side cribs," said bill co-sponsor Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican from Merrick. "In the absence of any federal action, I felt it was important to have a ban on drop-side cribs for the protection of families."

Fuschillo co-sponsored the bill with Republican Sens. Dean Skelos from Rockville Centre and Stephen Saland from Poughkeepsie. Ginny Fields, a Democrat from Oakdale, sponsored the measure in the Assembly.

A spokesperson for Paterson said the governor would take time to read through the legislation before deciding whether to sign it into law later this month.

Fuschillo, who represents the 8th Senatorial District, which includes Bellmore and Merrick, said he was confident that the legislation would gain gubernatorial support. "I believe the governor will sign it into law. Based upon conversations my office has had, I believe he'll look upon it very favorably," Fuschillo said.

The Wittes have testified at multiple hearings, describing waking on Valentine's Day 1997 to discover their 10-month-old son Tyler Jonathan strangled with his neck trapped between the side rail and headboard of his drop-side crib.

"I started my work with this issue 13 years ago, and several babies have died over the years, so it was very frustrating to me trying to raise awareness," Michele Witt said. "Now that it's finally getting the attention it deserves, it's a vindication and makes me feel like some of this hard work paid off."