Toddler Dies After Being Left in Hot Car by State Contractor: A Preventable Tragedy in Alabama
In an unthinkable tragedy that has shaken Alabama to its core, a three-year-old boy died after being left for hours in a sweltering car by a contracted employee of the state’s Department of Human Resources (DHR). The child, Ke’Torrius “KJ” Starkes Jr., had been placed in state care — entrusted to a system designed to protect him. But on that fateful day, that very system failed in the most horrific way.
A Day Meant for Supervision Ends in Horror
The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 22, in Birmingham, Alabama. KJ had been picked up from his nursery earlier that morning by a contract worker for Covenant Services Inc., a company hired by DHR to facilitate supervised parental visits. KJ was scheduled to visit with his biological father under state supervision due to allegations of drug use in the household, according to the family’s attorney, Courtney French.
After the visit, instead of taking KJ directly to his next safe destination or back to his foster care placement, the worker reportedly chose to run personal errands — including stops at a smoke shop and a restaurant. All the while, little KJ remained strapped in his car seat, hidden away in the back of a parked vehicle as outside temperatures soared.
By the time the child was discovered unconscious inside the car on Pine Tree Drive, it was already too late. The Birmingham Police Department said the toddler had been inside the car from approximately 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM — five full hours in the brutal heat. According to reports, local temperatures reached 96°F, with a heat index potentially pushing the interior of the car to a deadly 150°F.
A Systemic Failure with a Devastating Cost
KJ was officially pronounced dead at 6:03 PM at a nearby hospital. An autopsy was completed, and although the official cause of death is still pending, the circumstances point to heatstroke and fatal neglect.
Attorney Courtney French, speaking on behalf of the family, called the tragedy both heartbreaking and completely preventable. In a statement, he expressed deep frustration over the irony of the situation:
“The safety net that should have been in place to protect KJ and others like him is what caused his death. So the very system that is in place for his protection was the system that led to his death — and that’s what’s so tragic about this.”
The Department of Human Resources later confirmed in a public statement that KJ was indeed in the custody of a contracted provider at the time of the incident, and that the provider had since terminated the employee responsible.
However, citing confidentiality laws, DHR declined to release further information about the worker or the specifics of the incident.
Family Devastated, Police Investigation Ongoing
KJ’s aunt, Brittney Debruce, told AL.com that the foster parent first realized something was wrong when KJ was missing during pickup from the nursery. A frantic search followed — until KJ was finally found in the car by his aunt and responding officers.
The driver has not been publicly named but was reportedly cooperative with law enforcement. Birmingham police confirmed that the individual was taken to headquarters for questioning. As of this writing, no charges have been filed, but the investigation remains open and active.
“This Is a Parent’s Worst Nightmare”
In a statement shared via attorney French, KJ’s devastated parents spoke of their unbearable grief:
“This is a parent’s worst nightmare. Our baby should be alive.”
The child’s body has been returned to the family, and funeral services have been scheduled for Saturday, August 2. Community members across Birmingham have begun rallying around the family, offering condolences and demanding accountability for the failures that led to the toddler’s death.
A Call for Urgent Reform
This tragedy has sparked widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny over how Alabama and other states handle child protective services — especially in cases involving third-party contractors. Many are now asking: How could a trained professional forget a child in a vehicle? And more importantly, why wasn’t there a better system in place to ensure his safety?
Children in state custody are already some of the most vulnerable. The very fact that KJ was removed from his home for safety reasons — only to die due to negligence by the state’s own system — is a painful reminder that more must be done.
Policies surrounding child transportation, employee accountability, and contractor oversight are all under the microscope. Community leaders and advocates are urging lawmakers to act swiftly to prevent another senseless death.
Rest in peace, Ke’Torrius “KJ” Starkes Jr.
Your life was far too short, and your loss must not be in vain. May your memory spark the changes needed to protect every child entrusted to the care of the state.