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Chinese Toy Exec Commits Suicide After Recall

China banned exports from the company

By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:59 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The head of a Chinese company that made a million of the lead-tainted toys recalled by Mattel last month hanged himself in his warehouse this weekend. Zhang Shuhong's  suicide followed the announcement Thursday that China banned exports from his company because of the defects. Colleagues reported that Zhang had been sold the tainted paint by his best friend.

The Mattel recall, which included Fisher-Price branded toys featuring characters such as Big Bird and Elmo, was the second major toy recall because of lead paint; two months ago 1.5 million wooden Thomas the Tank Engine toys were also recalled. The factory that made those toys was also included in the export ban announced by China Thursday.

Shelves are near empty after Fisher-Price toys were pulled from area shelves in a voluntary recall leaving toy sections like the one at a local Target store Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, in Phoenix. Fisher-Price recalled 83 types of popular toys numbering nearly a million units including Big Bird, Elmo, Dora...
Shelves are near empty after Fisher-Price toys were pulled from area shelves in a voluntary recall leaving toy sections like the one at a local Target store Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, in Phoenix. Fisher-Price...   (Associated Press)
Fisher-Price toys subject to recall including Birthday Dora, bottom, and Prince Diego,' top, are seen on the shelves of a store in Alexandria, Va., late Monday, Aug. 1, 2007. Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys _ including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters _ because...
Fisher-Price toys subject to recall including Birthday Dora, bottom, and Prince Diego,' top, are seen on the shelves of a store in Alexandria, Va., late Monday, Aug. 1, 2007. Fisher-Price is recalling...   (Associated Press)
A boy looks around a toy store Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, in Manila, Philippines. Toys made by Mattel based on popular characters like Barney, Dora and Diego have been recalled in some Asian and European countries after the toymaker warned of lead in the paint. China has temporarily banned two...
A boy looks around a toy store Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, in Manila, Philippines. Toys made by Mattel based on popular characters like Barney, Dora and Diego have been recalled in some Asian and European...   (Associated Press)
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"Unfortunately, death of Zhang Shuhong does not help those of us who had to take away their child's favorite toy"
Oleg Dulin

I'd like to hear from an anonymous Orthodox Jewish commenter
Vos Iz Neias

Another vaguely toy-related suicide
Gaming Today

 
China • suicide • toys • exports • recall • Mattel • Fisher-Price • Chinese toys • tainted • Zhang Shuhong

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