Necklace a choking hazard

Sick Kids volunteers gave jewellery away at Santa Claus Parade

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Raveena Aulakh

A clear plastic necklace given to children at the Toronto Santa Claus Parade can potentially cause choking problems and parents are being asked to destroy them immediately.

The tiny star necklace was distributed by volunteers of SickKids Foundation at the parade and pre-parade breakfast at Yonge-Dundas Square, foundation officials said.

"We don't know how many were distributed in total but believe there weren't too many," said Carol Duncan, director of public affairs at the foundation. She said they weren't given along the entire route of the parade but in small sections by celebrity clowns.

The necklace can be dangerous if it is pulled too hard and breaks. The small parts can present a choking hazard, said Duncan.

The necklace is easily identifiable: it has a clear plastic star that illuminates and the words "Believe in Santa, Believe in SickKids" printed on it. If parents have it, they should discard it or destroy it, said Duncan.

Its potential problem was brought to the foundation's attention recently but Duncan emphasized no choking cases have been reported. "As soon as we received a complaint, we moved to have the necklaces recalled," said Duncan.

She added the foundation did not want to take the risk of potential harm to children from any product distributed on its behalf.

"We sincerely apologize to children and families for any inconvenience this might cause and appreciate your understanding," said Michael O'Mahoney, president of SickKids Foundation. "The foundation had the necklace prototype approved prior to purchase. The necklaces distributed on the weekend were unfortunately not retested to ensure they continued to meet safety standards."

- With files from The Canadian Press