Safety 1st Car Seat Lawsuit: Dangerous Defect Alleges Choking Hazard

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit alleges the Safety 1st "Grow and Go Sprint" car seat has a defective headrest posing a choking hazard, and the manufacturer's recall does not adequately address the issue.

Consumers Affected: U.S. consumers who purchased a Safety 1st Grow and Go Sprint Car Seat with Model Numbers: CC321GYU, CC321GYUD, CC321GYY, CC321GYYD, CC321HAO, CC321HAR.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

A popular infant car seat marketed as a safe and award-winning option for growing families is now at the center of a new class action lawsuit alleging it puts children in danger.

The lawsuit, filed in Maryland federal court, accuses Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.—the manufacturer behind the Safety 1st brand—of selling defective car seats under false pretenses. 

At issue is the Safety 1st “Grow and Go Sprint” model CC321, which was recalled in April after federal officials found the headrest could detach and pose a choking hazard to infants. 

Parents say they trusted the company’s safety claims, only to discover that the car seats were “worthless” and potentially life-threatening, according to the lawsuit.

Safety 1st Car Seat Headrest Allegedly Poses Choking Hazard

The lead plaintiff, Joanna Stewart, says she purchased the car seat for her child in Delmar, Maryland, unaware of the serious risks it allegedly posed. 

Like many parents, she relied on the brand’s safety reputation and advertising, which highlighted the product’s reliability and even linked to a safety award on the company’s website, she says.

But according to the complaint, the car seat’s foam headrest can detach and be chewed or swallowed by small children, creating a major choking hazard. Stewart claims that neither she nor any other consumers were warned about the defect when purchasing the product. 

Parents expect car seats to protect their children, not endanger them, the lawsuit argues.

Parents Say Recall Offers Inadequate Fix, Not Full Protection

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall on April 18, 2025, for the Grow and Go Sprint model CC321. More than 180,000 units were sold nationwide through major retailers and online platforms between February and December 2023. 

The recall cites a defective headrest that can detach, break apart, and present a choking hazard to children riding in the seat.

Despite low product reviews and consumer complaints flagging this issue before the recall, the lawsuit says the company continued to manufacture and sell the car seats without disclosure. 

Even now, impacted parents are being offered replacement headrests starting in June—but not refunds or replacements with a comparable product, according to the suit. The complaint argues that safer designs and materials were readily available and that other manufacturers make equivalent car seats without this hazard.

Child Product Safety Lawsuits Highlight Industry-Wide Concerns

This isn’t the only children’s product facing legal scrutiny. In a separate class action, Mattel is being sued after its “Wicked” dolls allegedly directed children to a pornographic website. 

Another lawsuit claims the Fisher-Price Snuga Swing poses suffocation risks to infants. And yet another alleges that a Hatch Baby sound machine sold under Mattel’s brand can cause electric shocks due to a faulty power adapter.

In her lawsuit, Stewart wants to represent anyone in the US bought a Safety 1st Go and Grow Sprint Car Seat with Model Numbers: CC321GYU, CC321GYUD, CC321GYY, CC321GYYD, CC321HAO, CC321HAR. She is suing for unjust enrichment, breach of express warranty, fraudulent concealment, and more, and is seeking damages, fees, costs, and interest.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Stewart v. Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.
• Case Number: 1:25-cv-00871-MPB-CSW  
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana 

Plaintiffs' Attorney:

• Jacob R.Cox (Cox Law Office)
• Paul J. Doolittle (Poulin | Willey | Anastopoulo, LLC)

Do you own a Safety 1st Grow and Go Sprint car seat? Are you concerned about its safety? Share your thoughts below.