A three-year-old-boy has died of the injuries he sustained in an accident involving a Peloton Tread+ running machine.
No details of the accident involving the treadmill have been released, but Peloton CEO John Foley issued a statement, calling it a tragic accident.
"There are no words to express the shock and sadness everyone at Peloton feels as a result of this terrible tragedy," Foley said.
"Out of respect for the family and their privacy, we won't be sharing any additional information."
It is the latest serious incident involving a child and a Peloton Tread+, which prompted Foley to write a letter to Peloton owners, warning them of the dangers of children having access to Peloton equipment.
In a separate incident earlier this year, another three-year-old suffered serious head injuries after getting trapped under a Peloton treadmill – although it is believed that the child will make a "full recovery".
In this accident – documented in an incident report filed with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – the child was found by his father, badly injured – not breathing and pulseless – before being resuscitated and rushed to a hospital.
Reports suggest the child had tread marks on his back matching the slats of the treadmill, a neck injury and petechiae on his face – 'presumably from occlusion of blood flow'.
In his letter to Peloton owners, Foley wrote: "While we are aware of only a small handful of incidents involving the Tread+ where children have been hurt, each one is devastating to all of us at Peloton, and our hearts go out to the families involved.
"We design and build all of our products with safety in mind.
"But in order to help ensure that you and your family members stay safe with Peloton products in your home, we need your help.
"This is especially true during what I hope is the final stretch of the pandemic where everyone is still at home.
"To prevent accidents, please take care to review and follow all the safety warnings and instructions that we provide.
"Always keep children and pets away from Peloton exercise equipment at all times.
"Before you begin a workout, double-check to make sure that the space around your Peloton exercise equipment is clear.
"When you finish a workout on your Tread+, remove the safety key and store it out of reach of children and anyone else who should not be able to start the Tread+."
Liz Terry, editor of HCM said: "This devastating news is a further reminder of the challenges being faced by families who have been forced to concertina their whole lives into smaller spaces, with work, school, gym and family life coinciding and creating unbelievable pressure.
"It's also a red flag in regard to the dangers inherent in bringing heavy-duty gym equipment into the home where there are rarely safety protocols in place.
"Treadmills are especially of concern, given the forces they generate.
"We hope this news will prompt everyone to be incredibly mindful about these dangers and take steps to ensure equipment can be stored and used safely, so we do not have any more awful tragedies."
In the US alone, 22,500 people sought hospital treatment for treadmill-related injuries last year, with 2,000 of these involving children under the age of eight.
Between 2018 and 2020, the US consumer product safety commission received reports of 17 deaths related to treadmill use, including one involving a five-year-old.
