Tools, Gadgets, and Widgets - Hope Chest Lock Replacement Kit

There was a very, tragic story Sunday about two children who died when they were locked inside a hope chest while apparently playing hide and seek. The problem was the hope chest locked when the lid was closed. The lock couldn't be opened from the inside and the brother and sister suffocated.

In 1996, Lane, a company that manufactures hope chests had a recall for the locks for hope chests that were made between 1912 and 1987. I never heard about the recall, but I have Ma's hope chest which my father gave to her during the early 1940s, and Himself's nana's hope chest from the 19-teens or 1920s.

Lane has an online form to fill out to receive a free lock replacement kit.

Even though, there are no small children in my home, I don't know where this hope chest will end up. Will one of my girlies take it to their home? Will it end up in a second hand store to be purchased by a couple with small children? I'd hate to think of another child being locked in the chest with no way to get out.

If you have one of these old hope chests, fill out the form for the free lock replacement kit. This is a simple measure to prevent a tragedy.