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Burger King denies it stalled Pokemon toy recall MIAMI (AP) - Burger King on Wednesday denied it moved slowly in issuing a recall after a 13-month-old girl suffocated on a plastic container designed to hold Pokemon toys.
``We actually accelerated the recall efforts,'' said Kim Miller, a company spokeswoman. ``We were in constant cooperation with (the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). We believe we acted prudently.''
On Tuesday, an official with the federal agency said Burger King refused to recall the toy immediately after the infant died, acting only after a second problem with the ball was reported.
``We asked them repeatedly to do a recall or in the very least stop distribution of the Pokemon ball and they refused on both counts,'' said commission spokesman Russ Rader.
Burger King issued a recall Monday for millions of the balls given away in children's meals. The voluntary recall followed the Dec. 11 suffocation death of a Sonora, Calif., girl, who was found in her playpen with half a ball over her nose and mouth.
Burger King learned about the suffocation death Dec. 15. Rader said his agency asked the company that day to stop distributing the balls and start a recall while it investigated.
The Miami-based restaurant chain began the recall after a second problem with the balls was reported, Rader said. An 18-month-old Kansas girl reportedly had a half-ball stuck over her face Friday, but her father pulled it off before she was injured.
On Wednesday, Burger King ran a full-page ad in USA Today notifying consumers about the voluntary recall.
But Rader said Burger King should recall millions more of the balls.
``We have been told by Nintendo, which licensed the Pokemon character to Burger King, that the distribution is probably more than 70 million,'' said Rader.
Ms. Miller said the restaurants issued the toys with two meals, one marketed for children 8 years and older, the other for those under 7 years old. She said the balls are only a threat to children 3 years old and under.
Burger King said consumers should take the balls away from children under the age of 3 and discard them or return them to a Burger King restaurant for a free small order of fries.
Rader said all the balls should be recalled because older children who got the Pokemon ball may have younger brothers and sisters who could be endangered.
The balls are used to pack several types of Pokemon toys. They measure about 3 inches in diameter and can be opened by pulling their two halves apart.
Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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