Parents Urged To Remove Pom-Pom From Santa Barney; Choking Risk Cited

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Lyons Group of Richardson, Texas, urge parents who own a 6-inch BARNEY doll with a red and white scarf and red Santa hat to remove a potential choking hazard from the doll. Parents should snip off the small white pom-pom from the tip of the hat to ensure that their child will not choke on the pom-pom.

CPSC and the Lyons Group are issuing this safety warning after the company received seven reports of the pom-pom coming off of the hat on the doll. In one case, a child needed medical attention for choking on the pom-pom. The child fully recovered.

About 594,000 videotapes and BARNEY dolls with a red and white scarf and red Santa hat were sold nationwide last holiday season in retail stores as the Barney Holiday Gift Pack. The Lyons Group sent notices to retailers, who still have the Santa Barney in stock, to remove the pom-pom before selling the dolls. The Lyons Group, which is also sending 800,000 notices of the choking hazard to members of the Barney Fan Club, removed pom- poms from the dolls for this year's holiday season.

Consumers should remove the pom-pom from the doll immediately. The Lyons Group is asking consumers to attach the pom-pom to a 3" by 5" card, with their name and address also written on the card, and send it to the Lyons Group, P.O. Box 9523, Allen, TX 75002. Cards, which are received by Dec. 15, 1994, will be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win a 4-foot BARNEY or 4-foot Baby Bop doll. One of each doll, retail-valued at approximately $250, will be awarded in a random drawing on or about Dec. 16.

More information and complete sweepstakes rules can be obtained by calling (800) 791-8093.