The Child Abuse Prevention Council is not amused by the popular "Jibba Jabber" doll, a toy created for children to grab its long, skinny neck and shake its head so it makes a squawking noise.
"The Child Abuse Prevention Council has worked diligently for the past three years to teach people about the extreme dangers of shaking babies and young children," said Marilyn Sandberg, director of the council."This doll teaches and even advocates concepts that are totally contrary to what we've been striving to communicate to parents, baby sitters and caregivers."
Most local toy stores stock the doll.
Ertl, the manufacturer, recently put stickers in various places on the doll to cover up pictures of the doll being grabbed by the neck and shaken.
Sandberg said the manufacturers get some credit for attempting to reduce the offensiveness of the box instructions, but the concept of the toy is damaging.
In the past three years, 18 babies have died in Utah from shaken baby syndrome. Many more have suffered brain damage and blindness.