Imogen Lennon: Trolls attack devastated family of 5-year-old who died choking on her favorite snack
NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: The grief-stricken family of a five-year-old girl, who died after choking on her favorite snack during a car ride, have reportedly been subjected to callous trolling. Imogen Lennon, from Canowindra in New South Wales, Australia, tragically died on Monday, January 16, after she choked on a deli Frankfurt while talking to her mother on the way home from swimming lessons.
Following her death, family friend Tamara Harrison revealed that she has been receiving a continuous barrage of nasty emails after she created a fundraising page to help Imogen’s parents Samantha and Bill Lennon, raise money for future expenses. Harrison told Daily Mail that strangers posted dozens of heartless comments on her social media post, with many saying that the family must not have done enough to save the little girl's life.
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But Harrison said that these allegations are completely false. "Imogen was sitting in the back of the car and had taken in a big breath of air as she was eating and began choking," Harrison said. She added, "Sam pulled over straight away. She is a first aid officer - her sister is also a nurse. She knew what to do in that situation. She did everything she could. Imogen even bit her hand when she tried to get the frankfurt out of her throat."
Harrison then praised "strong and brave" Samantha, saying she knew she did everything she could to save Imogen. The saddening death of "loud and energetic" Imogen came just seven days after she was fitted with her first hearing aid. Harrison said it was the first time she had ever heard her own voice. "She put it in, and she said 'Is that, my voice mummy?'" she recalled. Harrison added, "And her mum said, 'Yes, yes it is.'"
The untimely death of the little girl has left her family shattered. She was laid to rest at the local church on Saturday, January 28. Harrison said watching Imogen's small, white coffin decorated with pink flowers and cowgirl boots being loaded into the back of a hearse broke her heart. "Imogen was meant to start kindergarten this year," she added. Harrison further added, "She never got to live her life. Something like that shouldn't have happened."
Harrison, a nurse who works with children, continued by revealing that she is now working with the Lennon family to set up a foundation in Imogen's honor to ensure no one else feels the pain they are experiencing. According to Harrison, the Lennons are "true Aussie battlers" who are constantly lending a helping hand to people in need. "They would give the shirts off their backs, without a second thought should someone be in need," she noted.