(AP) GREENSBORO, N.C. - A baby doll found at a local Costco store has been pulled from store shelves after customers complained it was offensive. The doll, which depicts a black, baby girl, is named "Lil' Monkey."

According to Costco representatives, a Greensboro customer filed complaints about the offensive doll and the company pulled the product from stores.

The product is a doll called the "Cuddle with Me" baby doll manufactured by a company called BrassKey Keepsakes. The controversy stemmed from the black version of the doll which is surrounded by monkeys and wears a hat labeled "Lil' Monkey," while the white version is surrounded by pandas and wears a hat labeled "Pretty Panda."

Costco's corporate office says when they received complaints from John Taylor and other shoppers about the doll, store employees pulled the product from store shelves immediately.

(UPH) -- I want to know what Costco's inventory purchaser thought as they were initially stocking their shelves with this disgrace??  They do have a choice of which items goes on their shelves.  Let's not take them off the hook too easy now.
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In a conversation with FOX8's Nicole Ferguson, Mary Gustaff, CEO ofBrassKey Keepsakes, said the company offers a sincere apology tocustomers.

"It's so unfortunate because now it's being portrayed as a purposefulact to be disrespectful and that's not true. We really apologize," saidGustaff

When Ferguson asked Gustaff if she thought the dolls could be viewed asoffensive, Gustaff responded: "We don't think in that way. We don'toperate in that kind of thinking. We have a really diversefamily-operated company that's been around for 28 years. What would wehave to gain for heaven's sake?"

(UPH) -- Have you lost your (expletive) mind!!  You can not possibly be naive to the fact that this would offend many people.  For now, I just have to assume that it was done intentionally.  I can't let you play the stupid "I didn't know it was offensive" role on this one...  If your company is as diverse as you claim, this doll would have never left your assembly line.