Cause of death announced for TikTok child star Preston Ordone AKA 'OkayBaby' who died, age 2, in car accident

Preston Ordone was traveling in a car with his parents, Katelynn and Jaelan Ordone, in Louisiana, United States, at the end of April when they were involved in an accident that proved fatal for him.

Their 2011 Ford F-150 veered off the road and struck a tree on Thursday April 24. Both Katelynn and Jaelan sustained serious injuries and were taken to separate local hospitals for treatment. Despite efforts by emergency responders, Preston later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Little Preston became a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram for continually responding “okay” to all of his mum’s requests - only to do then do the exact opposite moments later. His mum, Katelynn Ordean, built a large following on social media, with more than 163,000 followers on Instagram and 411,000 on TikTok who all loved to watch Preston’s antics.

The child star died from “blunt force injuries due to a motor vehicle crash”, as reported by US Weekly. The St. Tammany Parish coroner’s office also shared that his death was categorised as accidental.

The Ordone family, which also includes Katelynn and Jaelan’s eldest child, daughter Paisley, who was not in the car at the time of the crash, rose to fame online in 2024 thanks to their humourous and heartwarming videos - including those of baby Preston saying what became his famous catchphrase. They have revealed they have honoured Preston with a flower memorial at Glory Church in Slidell, Louisiana. It features an oversized pair of overalls covered in moss and flowers, and there’s also a collage of photos of the toddler along with a book for mourners to write messages.

“You are warmly invited to come as you are, at any time, to pay your respects and place a flower in the overalls as a symbol of love, remembrance, and support,” Katelynn wrote on Instagram read earlier this month. “Let us come together in remembrance to celebrate the life and light Preston brought into the world.”

The day before Mother’s Day in the United States, which was on Sunday (May 11), Katelynn paid tribute to her son while sharing a series of photos of Preston through the years. She captioned her Saturday, May 10, Instagram post, in part, “There will never be enough words to express my heart ache and how much I miss you but the one thing that gives me peace is knowing that this wasn’t a goodbye, this was a see you later & I can’t wait to see you again baby boy.”

The Louisiana State Police previously issued a press release stating that the cause of the crash “is still under investigation.” Authorities said Preston was seated in the back seat but was “improperly restrained in a child safety seat.” However, Preston’s grandfather, Glen Norris, has disputed that claim, telling Nola.com that a witness at the scene confirmed Preston was properly secured. Norris described the police’s statement as “hurtful and painful.” Trooper Marc Gremillion told Nola.com that the report was based on the best information currently available to the authorities.

In an emotional video update previously posted on Katelynn’s social media accounts, family friends and TikTok stars Brielle Matranga and her husband Carson explained the events surrounding the crash. Brielle said: “Katelynn, Jaelan, and Preston were involved in an accident. Paisley, you guys know Paisley, she was at school at the time, she was not in the vehicle. We don't know all the details yet but the truck veered to the right off the interstate and struck a tree, and unfortunately Preston didn’t make it."

Describing the parents’ injuries, Brielle added: “Katelynn and Jaelan are severely injured. Katelynn has multiple broken bones. She had a very bad concussion. She walked for the first time today. Jaelan had to have emergency surgery on one of his legs. He has rods, pins in them. They’re both at different hospitals.”

On Tuesday April 29, Katelynn said in an Instagram video that she had been discharged from the hospital the day before, but that her husband Jaelen is still in the hospital. No update on his condition has been given since.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help cover Katelynn and Jaelan’s medical expenses and other associated costs. The organisers wrote: "The medical expenses, coupled with the overwhelming grief of losing their child, have placed an immense burden on them. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference." Almost $60,000 has been raised on the page at the time of writing, on the morning of Tuesday May 13.