5-year-old Imogen Lennon’s choking death could have been prevented

A family was left distraught after their beloved daughter’s death. Now, an expert claims her choking could have been prevented.

A five-year-old’s choking death could have been prevented, according to experts.

A young girl who died after choking on her favourite deli snack in the back of a car could have been saved by a new device, according to experts.

In January, 5-year-old Imogen Lennon, from rural NSW, was happily “chatting away” to her mother before tragedy struck.

The child had been snacking on a deli cocktail frankfurt when it became lodged in her throat.

Her mother Samantha, trained in first aid, desperately tried to dislodge it, but was unable to.

Imogen died in hospital shortly after, but a former paramedic claims a device could have saved her.

Simon Gould, a former paramedic who studied choking for over 30 years, told 7NEWS the airway clearance device LifeVac could have prevented her death.

Mr Gould introduced the device to Australia from the US in 2016, and is urging parents to buy one in case of a “critical emergency” like Imogen’s.

Anti-choking device called the LifeVac.

The five-year-old sadly died in hospital after choking.

“You need to do something and it needs to be something that’s effective and so far again, we have failed,” Mr Gould said.

“We saved a 10.5-month-old in WA from choking on a sausage — that was a week after Imogen died from a frankfurt.”

He said LifeVac has saved 747 people around the world, including 449 children.

Imogen’s parents recently told A Current Affair of the pain they experienced watching their child as her lips turned blue.

“She made this horrible gurgling sound,” Samantha Lennon said.

“When I looked back her lips were turning blue.

“I immediately pulled over and tried everything to try and get it out.”

Samantha Lennon tried to save her little girl’s life. Picture: ACA

She warned other parents to cut up their children’s food and encourage them to chew thoroughly to lessen the risk.

“If we can save one other family from having to feel that absolutely heartbreaking pain then we have done her proud as parents.”