BIRMINGHAM, AL — A community is mourning and a family is shattered following the heartbreaking death of 3-year-old Ke’Torrius “K.J.” Starkes Jr., who died Tuesday after being left in a sweltering vehicle for over five hours while in the custody of a worker contracted by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR).
The incident occurred in the middle of a scorching summer day, with temperatures soaring to 96 degrees, compounding what authorities and advocates are calling a preventable and devastating failure of responsibility.
According to the family’s attorney, Courtney French, the events leading to K.J.’s death began around 9:00 a.m., when the contracted DHR worker picked up the child from his daycare center for a court-ordered supervised visit with his father — a part of the structured reunification process for parents working to regain custody of their children.
The visit reportedly ended at 11:30 a.m., after which the worker, instead of returning K.J. to daycare or DHR supervision, ran multiple personal errands — with the toddler still buckled in his car seat in the back seat of her vehicle.
Around 12:30 p.m., the worker allegedly returned to her residence in Birmingham and left K.J. strapped in the back seat of the car, windows rolled up, and the engine turned off. As outside temperatures continued to rise throughout the day, the interior of the vehicle is believed to have reached life-threatening heat levels within minutes. The young child was left unattended for more than five hours.
It wasn’t until the daycare reportedly called the worker’s home to inquire why K.J. had not been returned, that the horrifying realization dawned. The worker is believed to have discovered the child still in the vehicle — unresponsive.
Tragically, Ke’Torrius “K.J.” Starkes Jr. was pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m. by the Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“He died a brutal death,” said French, speaking to CNN. “This child was trapped in a car, in unbearable heat, with no one to hear his cries, with no one to rescue him. There is no excuse for this level of negligence. It is inexcusable, and someone must be held accountable.”
As of now, the identity of the contracted worker has not been publicly released, and no criminal charges have been announced, though law enforcement is actively investigating the incident. The Alabama Department of Human Resources has not issued a detailed public statement, but sources confirm that an internal review has been launched.
The incident has sparked fury, heartbreak, and calls for reform across Alabama and beyond. Advocates for child welfare, state lawmakers, and local community leaders are demanding transparency, accountability, and an overhaul of contractor oversight within DHR’s child protective system.
“This wasn’t just an accident — it was a failure of duty,” said a Birmingham child welfare advocate. “This child was under state supervision. The state had a responsibility to protect him — and it failed.”
K.J.’s family, still reeling from the unimaginable loss, describes him as a bright, joyful, and loving little boy. His laugh was infectious, his spirit pure, and his future full of hope. What was meant to be a short visit — a step toward reunification with his parents — instead became the final chapter of a life ended far too soon.
Vigils are being planned in Birmingham in the coming days to honor K.J.’s memory and demand justice on his behalf. A growing memorial of teddy bears, balloons, and flowers now sits outside the daycare center where his absence is felt most deeply.
This tragedy has left a permanent mark — not only on K.J.’s family, but on every parent, guardian, and child welfare advocate who believes that no child should ever be forgotten in the backseat of a car.
Rest in peace, Ke’Torrius “K.J.” Starkes Jr.
Your life was precious, your voice mattered, and you deserved so much more.
May your memory be a catalyst for change, and may justice speak for you now.
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