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Woman charged in hot car death of Alabama 3-year-old
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- A woman is now criminally charged in the hot car death of a 3-year-old in Alabama.
Kela Stanford is charged with leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle in a manner that creates an unreasonable risk of injury or harm, announced Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr on Friday.
"This is a terrible tragedy that was completely avoidable and unnecessary. Our condolences go out to Ketorrius's family," Carr wrote in a release.
Ketorrius “KJ” Starkes Jr, of Bessemer, was found alone inside of a car Tuesday evening at a home on the 1500 block of Pine Tree Drive in Birmingham. According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the vehicle was off, and windows were rolled up at the time Starks was found.
The Birmingham Police Department stated Starkes was accidentally left inside the vehicle while in the care of a third-party contracted worker through the Alabama Department of Human Resources. That person was taken to BPD Headquarters for questioning. The BPD stated they were cooperative.
The coroner's office said Starkes was in the vehicle for roughly five hours. Starkes was pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m.
“A child in DHR custody was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred,” a DHR spokesperson said in a statement. “The provider has terminated their employee. Due to confidentiality, DHR cannot comment further regarding the identity of the child or the exact circumstances."