Preston Ordone's grandfather has broken his silence, challenging the Louisiana State Police Department's narrative following the tragic confirmation of the 2-year-old TikTok sensation's passing on April 24. Disputing the authorities' assertion that Preston, affectionately known as Okay Baby, was "improperly restrained in a child safety seat," his grandfather, Glen Norris, speaks out.
Glen, the patriarch who counts Preston's mother, Katelynn Ordone, among his daughters and her husband, Jaelan Ordone, as his son-in-law, both of whom sustained injuries in the fatal crash, alleges a twist in the tale. A witness who rushed to the accident scene revealed to Glen that Preston was indeed properly secured in his car seat when rescued. On April 25, Glen recounted to NOLA.com the harrowing detail imparted by the witness—that Preston was found properly restrained upon removal from the vehicle. Glen described the police statement as "deeply hurtful and excruciatingly painful."
Preliminary police investigations unveiled that Katelynn and Jaelan's 2011 Ford F-150 veered off the road and collided with a tree shortly before 11:50 a.m. in St. Tammany Parish, situated approximately 50 miles north of New Orleans, according to the Louisiana Police Department. The injured parents were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, while Preston succumbed to his critical injuries at the hospital.
In a pinned comment appended to the LPD's initial statement, the department stressed that accident details are culled from preliminary investigations and are never intended to cast aspersions on those involved. "Our intentions are far from embarrassing, causing anguish, or anger," read the April 25 comment. "Our aim is never to augment sorrow but to uphold our duty in this information-driven era. The Louisiana State Police, when legally mandated, must provide clarity to the media and the public, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process."
