Severity
Moderate
CPSC, The First Years Inc. Announce Recall to Replace "Elmo Nitelights"
Reported: July 6, 2000 Initiated: July 6, 2000 #00141
First Years issued this CPSC recall on July 6, 2000. Classified as Moderate severity. The recall was issued because: Electrocution/Electric Shock. This recall notice is sourced from official CPSC enforcement records. Below you will find the complete product description, hazard information, remedy instructions, and related recalls from the same manufacturer or product category.
Recall Insight
This CPSC action (record #00141) was formally reported on July 6, 2000. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. First Years is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.
The documented reason for this recall is: Electrocution/Electric Shock Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details.
To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 26 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.
Recall Distribution by Severity Class
Units Affected
Unknown
Related Recalls
6
1 from same agency
Product Description
July 6, 2000Release # 00-141 First Years Hotline: (800) 533-6708 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 CPSC, The First Years Inc. Announce Recall to Replace "Elmo Nitelights" WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The First Years Inc., of Avon, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 123,000 "Elmo Nitelights." The faceplate on these nightlights can be broken off, exposing wiring and posing shock and electrocution hazards. CPSC and The First Years have received three reports of the faceplates on these nightlights breaking off resulting in two 1-year-old girls and an adult receiving an electrical shock when touching the exposed wires. The "Elmo Nitelight" shows the Sesame Street character Elmo, who is red, hanging onto a green lamp post set on a blue background. A moon and stars surround the light part of the lamp post, which illuminates when the light is plugged in. It measures 4.25 inches long by 2.75 inches wide and fits over the entire standard outlet coverplate. "Henson" and "the first years" are imprinted on the back of the nightlights. The cardboard packaging shows a picture of the Sesame Street character Big Bird, and includes the writing, "SESAME STREET" and "nitelight." Discount, drug, grocery and toy stores sold these nightlights from July 1997 through March 2000 for between $5 and $6. Consumers should immediately remove the "Elmo Nitelights" from their sockets and throw them away. If wires are exposed, turn off the power before removing. Consumers should contact The First Years to receive a free replacement nightlight at (800) 533-6708 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Consumers also can write to The First Years, One Kiddie Drive, Avon, MA, 02322-1171
Reason for Recall
Electrocution/Electric Shock
Details
- Recalling Firm
- First Years
Recall Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission |
| Severity class | Moderate |
| Status | Active |
| Recall number | 00141 |
| Date reported | July 6, 2000 |
| Date initiated | July 6, 2000 |
| Recalling firm | First Years |
| Units affected | Not disclosed |
| Distribution | Not disclosed |
Profile values are sourced directly from the official CPSC enforcement record. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product was recalled? ▼
July 6, 2000Release # 00-141 First Years Hotline: (800) 533-6708 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 CPSC, The First Years Inc. Announce Recall to Replace "Elmo Nitelights" WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The First Years Inc., of Avon, Mass., is voluntarily recalling about 123,000 "Elmo Nitelights." The faceplate on these nightlights can be broken off, exposing wiring and posing shock and electrocution hazards. CPSC and The First Years have received three reports of the faceplates on these nightlights breaking off resulting in two 1-year-old girls and an adult receiving an electrical shock when touching the exposed wires. The "Elmo Nitelight" shows the Sesame Street character Elmo, who is red, hanging onto a green lamp post set on a blue background. A moon and stars surround the light part of the lamp post, which illuminates when the light is plugged in. It measures 4.25 inches long by 2.75 inches wide and fits over the entire standard outlet coverplate. "Henson" and "the first years" are imprinted on the back of the nightlights. The cardboard packaging shows a picture of the Sesame Street character Big Bird, and includes the writing, "SESAME STREET" and "nitelight." Discount, drug, grocery and toy stores sold these nightlights from July 1997 through March 2000 for between $5 and $6. Consumers should immediately remove the "Elmo Nitelights" from their sockets and throw them away. If wires are exposed, turn off the power before removing. Consumers should contact The First Years to receive a free replacement nightlight at (800) 533-6708 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Consumers also can write to The First Years, One Kiddie Drive, Avon, MA, 02322-1171. Recalled by First Years.
Why was this product recalled? ▼
Electrocution/Electric Shock
Which agency issued this recall? ▼
This recall was issued by the CPSC on July 6, 2000. Severity: Moderate. Recall number: 00141.
How do I check if my product is affected by a recall? ▼
Check the product description and recall number (00141) against your product. Visit the official CPSC website for the most current information. You can also use our Recall Checker tool to search by product name or brand.
How do I report an injury from a recalled product? ▼
Report injuries to the issuing agency: CPSC at SaferProducts.gov, NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or FDA via MedWatch. Document the product (photos, model/serial numbers, purchase receipts) and seek medical attention. Injury reports help agencies track hazard patterns and may strengthen enforcement actions.
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Recall Context
Product recalls are issued when a manufacturer, distributor, or federal agency determines that a product poses a safety risk to consumers. This recall is classified as moderate severity, indicating the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health consequences. Across PlainRecalls, we track 83,000+ recalls from FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA to help consumers stay informed and act quickly when safety issues arise.
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Data Sources
Data as of 2025. Source: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS federal recall databases.
- Source: FDA — Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Enforcement API (food, drug, and medical device recalls)
- Source: CPSC — Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls API (consumer product recalls and hazards)
- Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls API (vehicle safety recalls)
- Source: USDA FSIS — Food Safety and Inspection Service (meat, poultry, and egg product recalls)
Recall information is sourced from official federal agency databases. Always verify recall details with the issuing agency for the most current status. This information is for research and awareness purposes only.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
- BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
- U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
- data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov
Source: Federal recall agencies (FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS) Aggregated multi-agency recall feeds · 2024 Recall data normalized across federal agency feeds; severity classifications follow each agency's own taxonomy (FDA Class I/II/III; CPSC, NHTSA, USDA FSIS).