The grandfather of TikTok’s ‘Okay Baby’ who passed away in a heartbreaking accident on April 24 has disputed police claims about the two-year-old’s car seat following investigations around the crash.
The boy passed away in the crash
Preston Ordone, two-year-old beloved TikTok star known on the platform as ‘Okay Baby’, died in a tragic car accident on April 24 as his parents, Katelynn Ordone and Jaelan Ordone are still recovering from major sustained injuries.
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The grandfather disputed police claims
After the Louisiana State Police Department confirmed the boy’s death on April 24, his grandfather, father to his mother Katelynn Ordone, has disputed the department’s claims that Preston was “improperly restrained in a child safety seat.”
A witness had removed Preston from the car
Preston’s grandfather, Glen Norris, told NOLA.com the day after the crash that a witness told him that when he removed the boy from the vehicle, the toddler was properly restrained into his car seat.
Norris said the police’s statement on the situation was “hurtful and painful.”
The car had veered off the road
Preliminary police investigation into the crash found that the Ordones’ 2011 Ford F-150 truck veered off the road and struck a tree at around 11:50 a.m. in St. Tammany Parish, around 50 miles north of New Orleans.
They were taken to nearby hospitals
The boy’s parents, Katelynn and Jaelan Ordone were taken to nearby hospitals where they are recovering. But two-year-old Preston sadly died at the hospital after suffering critical injuries.
Katelynn and Jaelan’s 7-year-old daughter, Preston’s older sister, was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident but was at school.
LPD responded to the grandfather
In response to the grandfather disputing their claim, LPD pinned a comment on their original statement on the incident.
In it, they said that the information provided about accidents is gathered through initial investigations and that they don’t intend to shame anyone.
They said they don’t intend to cause pain
The comment read, “We do not do this with the intention of causing embarrassment, anguish, or anger.”
“Our goal is never to add to the pain, but rather to fulfill our responsibility in this age of information. The Louisiana State Police must, when legally required, provide answers to the media and the public, ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.”
News of the crash was confirmed by the family’s loved ones
The news of the crash and Preston’s death was confirmed by Katelynn and Jaelan’s friends who posted an update on Katelynn’s account on behalf of the couple.
They reflected on Preston’s death and his online presence, saying of the toddler, “He made people smile, laugh, I know you guys look forward to seeing him every day. I know in heaven right now, if there’s mud in heaven, he probably has found it and is jumping and dancing in it.”
