A three-year-old boy died after being left unattended in a hot car by a contractor for the Alabama Department of Human Resources. The incident occurred on July 22 in Birmingham, Alabama. The child, identified as Ketorrius Starks, was in the care of a contracted worker during a supervised visitation with his father.

Authorities reported that Ketorrius was left in the vehicle for several hours. Police received a call about an unresponsive child shortly after 5:30 p.m. When they arrived, Birmingham Fire and Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office stated that Ketorrius had been left in the car from approximately 12:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The child's father, Ketorrius Starks Sr., described his son as a "smart, brilliant, bright little child" who was very intelligent for his age. Family members explained that Ketorrius was typically picked up from daycare by a DHR transporter and taken to the agency's Bessemer building for visits with his father.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources confirmed that the contract worker involved has been terminated but did not provide further details due to confidentiality policies. The family is now calling for criminal charges against the worker, with the child's aunt stating, "It was neglect. That's the true cause of his death."

On the day of the incident, temperatures in central Alabama reached the mid-90s. The family’s attorney revealed that the worker had picked up Ketorrius from daycare around 9 a.m. for the supervised visit, which ended at approximately 11:30 a.m. Instead of returning him to daycare, the worker allegedly ran personal errands with Ketorrius still in the vehicle.

The National Weather Service reported that the maximum temperature on July 22 reached 96 degrees. This tragic incident adds to the growing concern over child deaths in hot cars. According to data from Kids and Car Safety, there were 41 child deaths in hot cars across the United States from May to November 2024. The organization noted that most of these incidents are accidental, often occurring when caregivers experience a change in routine.

Since 1990, more than 1,100 children have died in hot cars in the U.S., with approximately 88% of those being three years old or younger. Experts emphasize that these tragedies can happen to anyone, including loving and responsible caregivers.