Ashford mum saves son, 2, from choking to death on coin using LifeVac device promoted by Oliver Steeper’s parents

A mum has told how she was able to save her son’s life with a special anti-choking device after he put a penny in his mouth.

Ashley Bufton, from Ashford, was “absolutely terrified” when she saw two-year-old Bailey, who is autistic, panicking and not able to breathe.

She grabbed a LifeVac, which has a mask and suction equipment, and used it to pull the coin out on the second attempt.

The device has been promoted by the parents of Oliver Steeper, who died after choking at a nursery in Ashford three years ago.

They have campaigned to get the equipment in all Kent pre-schools.

It was after reading of the tragedy that Miss Bufton purchased the device.

The 35-year-old said: “I believed it stopped my son from dying or having severe brain damage.

“I’m really grateful that it exists because I don’t think my son would be here if it didn’t.”

Miss Bufton had been doing some cleaning at home on August 22 when to her horror she spotted that Bailey was choking.

Recalling the scary moment, she told KentOnline: “I heard him take a really sharp intake of breath. As I turned around, he was clearly not able to breathe.

“He was panicking, his eyes were watering and I completely freaked out.

“It was absolutely terrifying. My heart stopped. I didn’t even know what was in his mouth.”

Miss Bufton at first administered back blows, the traditional method, but that didn't work.

It was then she grabbed the LifeVac.

She was already on the line to emergency services, talking to them by loudspeaker so she could keep using both her hands to save her little boy.

The device pulled the penny out on the second attempt and it fell on the floor.

Ms Bufton said: “Bailey vomited and then took a massive breath of air in.

“And then I just remember feeling relief and I picked the penny up and I was still on the phone to the operator

“It took another 13 minutes for paramedics to arrive, by which time, had I not had the LifeVac, serious damage could have been done.

“This is because no amount of me hitting him on his back or doing any of the manoeuvres that would normally have worked was working because the penny had managed to lodge itself sideways.

“| If I didn’t have the device I would have had to wait until those paramedics turned up and then for them to get him to the hospital to remove it. So in a time-sensitive situation, it saved his life.”

Bailey fully recovered in 30 minutes and Miss Bufton has explained how to use the equipment to her two other children should it be needed for them.

Oliver Steeper choked on food at the Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford on September 23, 2021.

The nine-month-old died six days later at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London.

The jury at an eight-day inquest last May returned a conclusion of misadventure.

In August last year KentOnline reported that his parents Lewis and Zoe Steeper were setting up the Oliver Steeper Foundation. This was to raise funds and campaign for all pre-schools in Kent to have the anti-choking devices manufactured by the Australian-registered company LifeVac.

Last December they used the equipment to save their 11-month-old son Jake when he choked on Calpol.

The LifeVac is a non-invasive device which uses vacuum pressure to remove an object from a person’s windpipe. It has instructions and is usable by a layman.

LifeVac Europe has this year said the device has been used to save 1,651 lives, including more than 1,000 children’s lives.

Miss Bufton added: “I'm very grateful that Oliver’s family have taken the initiative to tell his story - tell their story to save other children. And that is exactly what they've done in my case.”