Family Dollar recalls 1.8 million toy dart sets after two children die

Family Dollar Stores is recalling 1.8 million toy dart gun sets following reports of two boys choking to death on the darts, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

The two boys who died were a 9-year-old from Chicago and a 10-year-old from Milwaukee. The Chinese-made toys were imported by Henry Gordy International Inc. of Plainfield, N.J., which has refused to recall the darts, the CPSC said. The dart sets were sold exclusively at Family Dollar, the CPSC said.

While some companies will drag out a recall and be less than eager participants, it is unusual for a company to refuse to work with the CPSC to get the product out of homes.

"At CPSC, we traditionally start with the U.S. manufacturer or importer as the responsible party to negotiate a recall with," CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson told Consumer Ally. "In this case the manufacturer refused to conduct the recall, so Family Dollar stepped up to the plate and agreed to give affected consumers a refund."