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Alabama DHR Contractor Arrested Under Amiyah White Act in Foster Child’s Hot Car Death

The arrest follows revelations that gross negligence locked a foster child in a hot car for five hours, leading community leaders to demand transparent transport policies.

Ke’Torrius “K.J.” Starkes, Jr. died in hot car in Alabama while in state custody.
Kela Stanford has been arrested in connection with the death of 3-year-old Ke'Torrius “K.J.” Starkes Jr., who died when he was left unattended in a vehicle for hours.
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An Alabama Department of Human Resources building in Birmingham.

Overview

  • On August 1, Jefferson County prosecutors charged 54-year-old Kela Stanford with a Class B felony under the Amiyah White Act for leaving foster child Ke’Torrius “KJ” Starkes Jr. unattended in her vehicle.
  • Stanford posted a $30,000 bond and was released, and her contract with provider The Covenant Services was terminated by the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
  • Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates reported that KJ remained locked in a car with the windows up from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. before being pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m.
  • Enacted in 2013 after a similar tragedy, the Amiyah White Act makes leaving children under age 7 unattended in vehicles a Class B felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison when serious injury results.
  • More than 100 community members and lawmakers held a candlelight vigil in Bessemer and are calling for accountability and stricter oversight of state child transport protocols.