A cat knocked a can of a granular drain cleaning agent into a crib occupied by a six-month-old girl.
The plastic snap-open lid of the container opened either because of the fall or because of hydrogen build-up in the can, and the baby started playing with the caustic soda-lye crystals of the cleanser. She suffered severe facial deformity, involving complete destruction of her nose, mouth, and lips, and extensive chemical burns on her hands and arms. Liability is based on the failure to use an effective childproof, unopenable safety closure on the can. Plaintiff also claims negligence in marketing a product of such great dangers and little utility.[2]