BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A former contractor with the Alabama Department of Human Resources is facing charges after a tragic incident where a 3-year-old boy, in the state’s care, succumbed after being left in a hot vehicle the previous month.
Kela Stanford has been charged with leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle in a manner that poses a significant risk of injury or harm, according to Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr’s announcement on Friday.
“This is a terrible tragedy that was completely avoidable and unnecessary. Our condolences go out to Ke’Torrius’s family,” Carr wrote in a release.
Ke’Torrius “KJ” Starkes Jr., hailing from Bessemer, was discovered alone in a car on Tuesday evening at a residence in Birmingham. As per the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the vehicle was not operational, and the windows were sealed at the time Starkes was located.
The coroner’s office said Starkes was in the vehicle for roughly five hours before being pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m.
The Birmingham Police Department has revealed that Starkes was inadvertently left in the vehicle while under the supervision of a third-party contracted worker associated with the Alabama Department of Human Resources. The individual, identified as Kela Stanford, was brought in for questioning and was cooperative, according to the police.
The family’s attorney, Courtney French, stated that the child was en route from daycare for a supervised visitation with his father. After concluding the visit at 11:30 that morning, it is alleged by the attorney that Stanford, rather than returning the child to daycare, proceeded to run errands and went home, leaving the child inside the parked vehicle.
“A child in DHR custody was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred,” a DHR spokesperson commented in a statement. “The provider has since terminated the employment of the involved individual. Due to confidentiality concerns, DHR cannot provide additional comments regarding the child’s identity or specific details of the incident.”
Stanford was booked into the Jefferson County Jail early Friday morning and released on bond a short time later, Nexstar’s WIAT reported. If convicted, she could face two to 20 years behind bars.
