Tragedy In Birmingham: 3-Year-Old Dies After Being Left In Hot Car By State Contract Worker

 

The family of 3-year-old Ke’Torrius “K.J.” Starkes Jr. is mourning the heartbreaking loss of a child they describe as “joyful,” “brilliant,” and a “happy boy who loved life and would light up any room.”

K.J. died Tuesday after being left for hours in a hot car while in the custody of a worker contracted by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), the state’s child protective services agency. The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the child was left inside a parked car for several hours in Birmingham, leading to his death from heat exposure. The Birmingham Police Department is actively investigating.

How It Happened

According to the family's attorney, Courtney French, the DHR-contracted employee picked up K.J. from daycare at 9 a.m. for a supervised visit with his father — part of a court-ordered process to reunite the child with his parents. The visit ended at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Instead of returning the child promptly to daycare, the worker allegedly ran personal errands before going home around 12:30 p.m., leaving K.J. strapped in his car seat with the windows up and the engine off.

Temperatures in the area reached between 93 and 96 degrees that afternoon, with heat index values climbing as high as 105 degrees. K.J. remained in the car for over five hours until daycare staff contacted the worker, prompting her to realize the child was still in the vehicle. Emergency responders were called, but K.J. was pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m.

“It’s just hard to comprehend,” French said. “He died a brutal death.”

Investigation and State Response

The Alabama Department of Human Resources confirmed the child was in state custody at the time and under the care of a contracted service provider. The provider has since terminated the employee involved in the incident.

Due to confidentiality laws, the agency declined to share further details regarding the child or the investigation.

A Life Remembered

K.J.’s father remembered him as a smart, lively child. “He knew how to count, knew his colors, knew all the animals,” he said. “He was just joyful.”

A memorial and balloon release in K.J.’s honor is scheduled for Friday.

According to Kids and Car Safety, a nonprofit that tracks child vehicle deaths, K.J. is the first child in Alabama to die in a hot car in 2025 — and at least the 16th such death nationwide this year.

“This would have never happened had K.J. been with his parents,” French emphasized. “This child deserved better.”