October 15, 2026 — An incident report details a concerning safety hazard involving a promotional flashlight distributed by Costco, leading to a 2-year-old child’s ingestion of an LR44 button battery. The incident highlights potential violations of critical child safety standards due to the battery’s easy accessibility.
Product Details
Product: Costco Auto Program Promotional Flashlight
Incident Overview
On September 12, 2026, a 2-year-old child received a promotional flashlight from a clerk at a Costco store in Daytona Beach, FL. The flashlight, which bore the branding “Costco Auto Program, CostcoAuto.om” but no other discernible labeling or warnings, was added to the child’s toy collection. Four days later, on September 16, 2026, while preparing for a nap, the child managed to open the flashlight by a simple unscrewing motion and swallowed an LR44 button battery.
The child immediately required multiple X-rays due to the ingestion. Initial X-rays showed the battery in one piece within her stomach. However, subsequent X-rays revealed the battery had split into two distinct pieces as it moved into her small intestines, causing confusion among medical staff who initially suspected two batteries had been ingested. On September 18, 2026, the child passed the battery in her stool, confirming it had indeed split internally. A call to the National Battery Ingestion Hotline provided reassurance that there was no risk of poisoning from battery acid despite the battery having fractured. The incident report explicitly states the flashlight had no warning labels and violated Reese’s Law due to the easy accessibility of the battery.
Safety Concerns
The incident with the Costco Auto Program flashlight raises several critical safety concerns:
- Immediate Dangers of Button Battery Ingestion: Swallowing button batteries, especially lithium coin cells like the LR44, poses severe and immediate risks. When ingested, these batteries can get lodged in the esophagus, causing chemical burns to internal tissues. The electrical current generated by the battery can rapidly create hydroxide, leading to caustic tissue damage, perforation, hemorrhage, and even death. Even if the battery passes through the esophagus, it can still cause damage in other parts of the digestive tract.
- Violation of Reese’s Law: Reese’s Law, enacted to prevent button battery ingestions, mandates that consumer products containing button or coin cell batteries must have secure battery compartments that require a tool or two independent and simultaneous motions to open. The incident report clearly states the flashlight could be opened by a “simple unscrewing motion,” which directly violates this critical safety standard and demonstrates an unacceptable level of accessibility for young children.
- Lack of Warning Labels: The absence of warning labels on the flashlight is a significant oversight. Products containing button batteries, particularly those that may appeal to children, should prominently display warnings about the ingestion hazard and provide instructions for safe handling and disposal.
- Risk of Battery Splitting: While the National Battery Ingestion Hotline indicated no risk of poisoning from the battery acid in this specific instance, the fact that the battery split apart internally presents an additional concern. A fragmented battery could potentially lodge in multiple places, cause more extensive damage, or make removal more complicated.
- Accessibility to Children: As a promotional item, these flashlights may be given out indiscriminately, potentially ending up in environments with young children who lack the understanding of the dangers posed by small parts and accessible batteries.
What Consumers Should Do
Consumers who may have received similar promotional flashlights or other products containing button batteries should take immediate action:
- Check Your Products: Inspect any promotional flashlights or similar items you may have received, particularly those from Costco Auto Program or other sources, to determine if they contain button batteries that are easily accessible without tools or two independent motions.
- Secure or Dispose Immediately: If you possess a product like the described flashlight where a button battery can be easily accessed by a child, immediately secure it out of reach of children or, preferably, dispose of it safely. Consider removing the battery and taping it securely before disposal, or taking the item to a battery recycling facility.
- Preventative Measures: Store all products containing button batteries (e.g., remote controls, small toys, key fobs, watches, calculators, flameless candles) out of sight and reach of children. Use child-resistant tape or screws if possible to secure battery compartments.
- Emergency Action for Ingestion: If you suspect a child has ingested a button battery, seek immediate medical attention by going to the nearest emergency room. Do NOT induce vomiting. Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at (800) 498-8666 immediately for guidance. Symptoms of ingestion can include coughing, choking, drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain, or difficulty swallowing.
- Report Incidents: If you or someone you know has experienced a similar incident or found a product with easily accessible button batteries, please report it to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at www.cpsc.gov.
Manufacturer’s Response
No manufacturer response has been provided in the incident report.
Legal Help Available
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product or suffered property damage due to a product malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced product liability attorneys at Farzan Law understand the complexities of defective product cases and can help you navigate the legal process. Farzan Law is a California based Personal Injury law firm focusing on protecting the rights of those wrongfully injured.
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Note: This information is based on incident reports provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you find information that is incorrect, please contact us immediately so we can correct the post to reflect accurate information.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. This article is based on publicly available incident reports. The incidents mentioned have not necessarily been independently verified or adjudicated.