A tragic incident unfolded in Los Angeles last April when a three-year-old boy drowned due to a faulty safety lock, sparking a lawsuit against Amazon and the lock's manufacturer.
According to the Daily Mail, Three-year-old Kai Bernabe tragically drowned after accessing his family's pool through a door with a defective child safety lock purchased on Amazon.
In the upscale neighborhood of Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, Kai Bernabe's life ended tragically in his family's swimming pool. The property, valued at $1.3 million, became the scene of the heartbreaking incident in April 2023. Kai, along with his twin brother Liam, managed to get past a safety device intended to prevent such accidents.
The safety lock in question, branded by Okefan and sold on Amazon, failed after the children placed a chair against the patio door. This unforeseen action caused the lock to unlatch, enabling the twins to enter the pool area. Fortunately, Liam survived the incident.
At the time of the accident, Kai and Liam's parents, Jasmine Coleman and Mark Bernabe, were napping. They had settled down after a busy morning, assuming their home was secure with the child safety lock in place.
Home security cameras captured the perilous moments leading up to the drowning. The footage showed how the faulty lock gave way after the boys manipulated a chair to reach the lock mechanism. This breach in safety measures led directly to the tragic drowning of young Kai.
Despite their parents' immediate rescue efforts, including performing CPR before emergency services arrived, doctors rushed Kai to Northridge Hospital. Tragically, hospital staff pronounced him dead, while his brother received medical attention before being released.
Following these devastating events, Kai's parents filed a lawsuit against both Amazon and Okefan. The lawsuit claims negligence and faulty product manufacturing, alleging that the safety lock did not perform as advertised.
According to the product listing on Amazon, the Okefan lock was marketed as capable of withstanding "the pulls and tugs of babies and children," ensuring doors remain safely ajar. However, the reality was tragically different for the Bernabe family.
Amazon has responded to the lawsuit by denying any wrongdoing. Their attorneys stated that the company "did not know and had no reason to know" that the lock could be defective or dangerous. Moreover, Amazon speculated that the mishap might have been due to the misuse or improper maintenance of the product by the family.
Contrarily, Jasmine Coleman and Mark Bernabe are seeking justice for their son's death. They have requested a jury trial and are pursuing at least $2 million in damages, setting a court appearance for early May.
The case raises significant questions about consumer safety and the responsibilities of online marketplaces selling third-party products. As the lawsuit progresses, it could set a precedent for how e-commerce giants like Amazon handle safety claims and product liability.
This lawsuit underscores the critical importance of product safety standards and the potential consequences of their failure. As the Bernabe family's tragic loss shows, the stakes are incredibly high when child safety products fail to perform as expected.
As the court date approaches, the legal battle will likely bring more attention to the practices of product listings on major e-commerce platforms and their implications for consumer safety. The outcome could influence future regulations and standards for child safety products sold online.
For many parents, the case is a poignant reminder of the importance of scrutinizing product claims and safety features, particularly when the well-being of young children is at stake.
