Caring parents want to do everything they possibly can to keep their children safe and sound. They provide them with a good home and lots of love, and they look out for their welfare because the children are too young to look out for their own.
Unfortunately, there are times that we hear some very sad news and that is what happened with a mother named Danielle Morin. Her son, Deacon, was in the nursery with a teething necklace, and unfortunately, when she checked on him, her son had died.
It seems as if the necklace had wrapped around the baby’s neck and tightened without releasing. Now, Danielle is sounding the word about the dangers behind these necklaces on her TikTok account.
In a heartbreaking video that was a warning to parents everywhere, she said: “We also loved our amber teething necklace until it strangled my son to death. Know better do better! Child safety isn’t a parenting choice, it’s a duty!”
If you’re unfamiliar with Amber necklaces, they are marketed to help children as they go through the teething process. They are made from Baltic Amber that, according to What to Expect, can soothe the teething pains by releasing oil with succinic acid.
CBS Los Angeles also reported on the subject, saying that the mother was given the Baltic Amber necklace by a close friend. She had purchased it on an Etsy website. Danielle, as of 2019, was suing Etsy and the Lithuanian company that sold the necklace.
We certainly agree with her when she says: “No parent should have to bury their child.”
A proper necklace would have a safety clasp that allows the necklace to disengage if it gets too tight. The one that was given to Danielle had a screw-on clasp.
18-month-old Deacon died in December 2016 after being strangled by his necklace. He was taking a nap in his nursery at the time. When they found him, he was already unresponsive and doctors at the hospital could not revive him.
Danielle admits that other mothers need to go online and buy things for their children and sometimes, those products are dangerous. She says that it scares her but after grieving for years, she had a second baby in 2019 and is now raising him as a single mom.
She has different social media pages that help to raise awareness of the dangers associated with products that are sold for babies.
@danimorin13 Reply to @alexalujan5 @danimorin13 If you know this could be your outcome why risk it? #knowbetterdobetter #beagoodmom #safemomcheck @etsy
Some mothers have come forward to say that her suggestions have made them change their minds about the way that they parent and they have avoided buying more using these Amber necklaces as a result.
A warning was even issued by the FDA in 2018 about amber teething necklaces. It said that they posed a risk for choking strangulation.
According to WGAL News, Etsy also stepped forward with a statement: “Deacon’s death was a great tragedy and our hearts are with his mother and family. While we understand the desire to take action, Etsy is a platform and did not make or directly sell this item. We believe the allegations should be directed at the criminally-negligent daycare providers or, if appropriate, the seller of the necklace. The seller has not had any products on our website since last year and we do not represent the seller in any way.”
On its website, Etsy says it “cannot and does not make any warranties about their quality, safety, or even their legality.”
The website states: “Any legal claim related to an item you purchase must be brought directly against the seller of the item. You release Etsy from any claims related to items sold through our services.”