Happiest Baby issues groveling apology after asking grieving mom to return a pricy SNOO bassinet

A popular baby bassinet company has apologized to a grieving mom after they demanded she return a product following the death of her child as she was left unable to ‘deliver content.’

Influencer Brooklyn Larsen unexpectedly lost newborn baby boy Rocky in November of last year. 

She had originally received a $1,700 SNOO bassinet from Happiest Baby in exchange for creating content featuring the item but, in the aftermath of her son’s death, was asked to return the product since she had not posted.

The demand sparked fierce backlash from social media users berating the company for their allegedly insensitive handling of their partnership. 

But a spokesperson for Happiest Baby has since told Today that the company ‘sincerely’ apologizes for the ‘misguided and ill-conceived communication’ sent to Brooklyn’s management from one of its team members.

‘We cannot express more emphatically our deepest sympathy for what she and her family have been through following the loss of her son,’ the statement published on the Today website reads.

‘What was intended to be an effort to provide assistance clearly was a mistake that added to Brooklyn’s grief, for which we are truly sorry. 

‘We have taken internal steps to make sure it never happens again,’ they continued.

The statement concluded: ‘What Brooklyn faced was a tragedy beyond comprehension, and we are heartbroken for her loss.’

Happiest Baby faced backlash from social media users last week, after Brooklyn’s sister, Kenna Bangerter, posted on Instagram that she was ‘super disappointed’ in the brand during the ‘unimaginable time’ her sister is experiencing. 

The influencer’s sister claimed the brand demanded the bassinet back because she didn’t ‘deliver the content.’ 

Users took to online platforms to berate the company for their allegedly insensitive handling of their partnership with the influencer.

‘Boycott Happiest Baby. Case closed,’ one user commented. 

‘Telling her management “Hey, we will take it back if having it there is too much on her” is different than demanding it back six times lmao they messed up and now they’re doing damage control,’ another said.  

‘Namely @happiest_baby – who sent my sister a baby bassinet after my sister said she would tag them in content with her newborn baby. After sending an email regarding the content she wasn’t able to send – because her baby passed away – they demanded she send the bassinet back. the empty bassinet, still sitting next to her bed,’ Bangerter wrote. 

‘I want you to think about why she couldn’t deliver the content. I’m absolutely disgusted by a BABY brand who promotes support for moms and babies – that doesn’t have the decency to give her the space to grieve the bassinet she never got to fill,’ Bangerter continued. 

‘It’s all business for brands like these, you know? I used and have promoted this company for years & now I feel regretful I ever did,’ she added, praising companies who have supported her sister despite being unable to deliver content during her grief. 

The brand commented a statement on Instagram and said: ‘We were devastated to learn of Rocky’s passing. In December, we sent flowers to Brooklyn’s home, and shared our condolences in a note to her manager (with whom we communicated). Content was never a consideration, and at no time did we mention anything about content or obligations since her loss. 

‘We offered her team (not her directly, to respect her privacy) to set up a courier pickup to help alleviate a potentially painful trigger. In our experience, some grieving families prefer to have certain items removed from their homes. 

‘Our entire mission is to support families, and it pains us to know that Brooklyn’s experience with us did not reflect that. 

‘We have apologized directly to Brooklyn for any additional hurt we may have caused. The well-being of families is and always will be out utmost priority.’ 

However, Bangerter commented on a TikTok video and claimed, ‘SIX e-mails demanding the bassinet back isn’t an offer…’ 

One user commented on TikTok that the company’s ‘apology’ was ‘basically saying the sister is lying and overreacting.’ 

‘Some people may want to remove things when they grieve, but if she wanted to remove/return it, I’m sure she would have told the company. they should have let her make that decision, not made it for her,’ another said. 

Another user wrote: ‘I’m sorry SIX EMAILS? Six??? All because they “wanted to help remove potential triggers for her” like they would know how she was feeling??’  

‘As someone who lost a child this is so wrong I still have ALL my daughter[s] stuff untouched not all grieving parents get rid of stuff after passing,’ another wrote. 

Brooklyn posted on Instagram a series of photos and a long heartfelt message of her baby boy Rocky’s funeral. 

‘Two months without our boy, Rocky. Two months of sleepless nights and more tears than I’ve ever cried. Two months spent wondering what milestones he would’ve hit by now and how many rolls he’d have on his precious body,’ Brooklyn wrote. 

‘Two months of trying to explain to Rome why his little brother passed just hours before he was in my arms, while still grappling with that reality myself. Two months of asking, why us? Why him? The ache hasn’t gotten any lighter.’

Happiest Baby commented with two white hearts, which one user responded with, ‘a heart but send the bassinet back? shame shame on you guys.’