Cords can present a strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers if placed too close to a crib, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says. (U.S. Product Safety Commission)

Nearly 2 million Summer Infant video baby monitors were recalled in the United States on Friday after being linked to the strangulation deaths of two infants.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the electrical cords on the monitors can be dangerous for babies if placed too close to their cribs.

According to the commission, a 10-month-old girl from Washington, D.C., died in March when she was strangled on the cord of a Summer Infant monitor camera that had been placed on the top of the crib rail.

In November, a 6-month-old boy from Conway, S.C., was strangled in the electrical cord of a baby monitor placed on the changing table attached to his crib.

The product safety commission and Summer Infant said they were also aware of a 20-month-old boy from Pittsburgh who nearly strangled on a camera cord that was mounted to the wall in reach of the child.

Deadly combination

Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said cords and kids can be a deadly combination.

"I urge all parents and caregivers to put at least 3 feet between any video or audio baby monitor cords and a child in a crib," she said. "This simple step can save your child's life."

In all, about 1.7 million monitors — more than 40 different models of handheld, digital and color monitors — are being recalled in the United States by Summer Infant, based in Woonsocket, R.I.

The company is not offering to replace the products, but will offer new on-product warning labels and instructions about monitor placement.

The monitors were sold at major U.S. retailers nationwide between 2003 and 2011.

The commission first warned about the potential danger of monitor cords last October. Since 2004, seven children in the United States have strangled on baby monitor cords placed too close to a crib.

In addition to the recall linked to strangulations, Summer Infant also is recalling the rechargeable batteries in another 58,000 video monitors exclusively sold at Babies R Us in 2009 and 2010. The commission says the batteries sold with certain Slim and Secure Video Monitors can overheat, rupture and possibly burn people.

For more information on model numbers of recalled monitors, consumers can contact Summer Infant at 800-426-8627.