The outline of a tiny footprint in black ink stands out against a white sheet of paper lined with a pastel pink border. “Baby’s first footprint,” it reads.
The baby girl, born at just 3 pounds, 11 ounces last Sunday, is doing remarkably well. Her family says she’s been a source of light in an unimaginably dark time.
Her mother, 17-year-old Katelynn Strate, was seven months pregnant when she was shot by a driver in a road rage incident earlier that day, police say. The baby was delivered via emergency C-section, while her mother was treated in the critical care unit.
Days later, police announced Katelynn had died as a “donor hero.”
“Today, her generosity will save lives, and we are immensely proud of her for that final act of kindness,” Katelynn’s family said in a statement shared by family friend Katie Cancienne Liebert.
The suspect who allegedly shot Katelynn, 54-year-old Barry West, has been charged with second-degree murder and three counts of attempted second-degree murder, among other charges, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
‘A preventable tragedy’
That Sunday morning, Katelynn was riding in a car in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, with her boyfriend and his sister, Liebert said, when things took a turn for the worse.
The sheriff’s office said it was around 9 a.m. when the SUV Katelynn was riding in and West’s vehicle began tailgating and “brake-checking,” or intentionally hitting the brakes, in front of each other.
But Katelynn’s family maintains the incident was unprovoked. Katelynn’s boyfriend, who was driving the car, did not engage in brake-checking or other road rage behavior; he passed West’s car after he said he noticed it was driving erratically, Liebert said.
He was not charged with anything related to the incident, the sheriff’s office told CNN.
West allegedly fired a gun into the back of the SUV, shooting Katelynn, who was in the passenger seat, in the head, police said.
“While West believed the occupants of the vehicle in front of him had shot at him first, evidence has confirmed there were no other shots fired in the incident and there was no weapon in the vehicle the victim was traveling in,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
When the sheriff’s office announced the murder charges against West in a Facebook post, it urged those who believe they’ve had similar encounters with the suspect to come forward. Comments citing road rage started rolling in.
“We have seen/heard people indicating they may have encountered him in similar scenarios before but it doesn’t appear those were ever reported,” Ashley Rodrigue, a public information officer with the sheriff’s office, told CNN.
“Several individuals have placed comments on our Facebook page detailing incidents they believe may have been with (West). We have replied to all of them asking for an official report.”
Only one of those commenters has followed up with an official report, and it turned out to be unrelated to the suspect in this case, Rodrigue said.
In their statement, Katelynn’s family stressed that this was “a preventable tragedy,” and they are speaking out to ensure “justice is pursued.”
CNN could not immediately identify whether West has retained a lawyer to comment on his behalf.
The violent incident has sparked widespread condemnation, along with a conversation about road rage.
“Just devastating and so senseless,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on X, earlier saying there was no excuse for the tragedy that occurred “all because of road rage.”
Louisiana topped the list of states with the most road rage for the second year in a row, according to a Consumer Affairs report released in May.
“Nearly 60% of the state’s fatal crashes and traffic deaths were linked to aggressive or careless driving, the highest rates in the nation,” the report notes.
In addition to raising awareness about the dangers of road rage, the family wants justice for Katelynn and to see West charged to the fullest extent of the law, Liebert said.
In the meantime, they are focused on caring for Katelynn’s baby girl and trying to keep her memory alive.
A country girl
Katelynn was a true country girl, Liebert said. She spent her weekends out on the lake and liked to fish and spend time in the woods.
She was always active, Liebert said, describing her as a “tomboy,” with a great sense of humor.
Even a sprained arm couldn’t stop her, Liebert recalled, sharing a video of Katelynn doing cartwheels with one bandaged arm. She sticks the landing and says with a smile, “I can do it with one hand.”
Katelynn was excited to become a mother, working to pursue her education and prepare for her daughter’s arrival, Liebert said.
“She hadn’t had a name picked out for her baby, and she hadn’t had her baby shower yet,” Liebert said.
Katelynn had only selected a few pairs of baby clothes and shoes after finding out the baby’s gender.
Recently, Katelynn and her boyfriend gathered with family and friends and cheered as bright pink confetti filled the air and they learned she was pregnant with a baby girl. Wearing a blue sundress and a tiara, Katelynn can be seen beaming and embracing her boyfriend in a video Liebert shared of the event.
“We know that without a doubt she loved this baby,” Liebert said. “She chose to give this baby life, and she was looking forward to being a mother.”
Her family, who is keeping the baby’s name private, hosted a community baby shower in Katelynn’s honor on Saturday at First United Methodist Church in downtown Ponchatoula, Liebert said. Those who have heard Katelynn’s story are eager to support the family.
A GoFundMe for Katelynn’s funeral expenses and baby care has raised over $45,000 in the days since her death.
