Birmingham, Keterrius "KJ" Sparks dies after being left in hot car by DHR contract worker /Covenant Services, July 22, 2025

[Ladyotm]

Another child, police are calling this an accident.​

3-year-old boy dies after being left in hot car in Birmingham​

By Bria Chatman and WBRC Digital Staff
Published: Jul. 23, 2025 at 11:13 AM EDT|Updated: 3 hours ago

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A 3-year-old boy died after being left in a hot car in Birmingham on Tuesday.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the boy as Keterrius ‘KJ’ Sparks, of Bessemer.

Authorities say he was found alone inside a hot vehicle that was parked at a home in the 1500 block of Pine Tree Drive. He was left in the car on Tuesday, July 22, from 12:30-5:30 p.m.

Birmingham Police say Katerrius was accidentally left inside of the vehicle while in the care of Covenant Services, a third-party contracted worker for the Department of Human Resources (DHR). Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service arrived and pronounced him dead.

The Department of Human Resources released the following statement:

"A child in DHR custody was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred. The provider has terminated their employee. Due to confidentiality, DHR cannot comment further regarding the identity of the child or the exact circumstances."

Police say the contracted worker has been cooperative, and was taken to the Birmingham Police Headquarters for questioning.

The Birmingham Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

Both KJ’s biological and foster families are struggling to understand how such a tragedy could have occurred.

Keterius Sparks Sr., the boy’s biological father, told reporters he last saw his son during a scheduled visitation Tuesday morning at the Department of Human Resources (DHR) office in Bessemer. He had no idea it would be the final time he held his child.

“I mean, words can’t even express how I feel right now,” Sparks Sr. said, holding back tears. “As soon as I leave my son, the first thing he says is, ‘Daddy, I want to go with you.’ He says that every time, and it really hurts.”

Sparks said he typically hands his son over to a representative from Covenant Services, a private child welfare provider, who is responsible for transporting the child to daycare after each Tuesday visit. But this time, that didn’t happen.

The family says when Sparks’ foster mother arrived to pick him up later that day, he was nowhere to be found.

As both families mourn the loss of KJ, questions remain about how a child entrusted to the care of child welfare providers could be left in a car for five hours.

“We went to the theme parks; we had a blast. We went to the swimming pool. We just got back Friday,” said Ernest Miller, a cousin from KJ’s foster family. “We were all looking forward to him growing up and being a part of this family, and now he’s just gone.”

A 3-year-old boy died after being left in a hot car while in the care of a Department of Human Resources contract worker, police said. (Source: WBRC)

This picture of Keterrius Sparks was taken just the day before he died after being left in a hot car in Birmingham. (Family)

 

[katydid23]

I absolutely HATE these hot car tragic deaths. They are so unnecessary.

How does a Dept. Of Human Resources employee hand this innocent 3 yr old over to a 3rd party employee, who inexplicably drives home at lunch time, leaving this poor baby inside a hot car until 5:30 pm?

What were they doing? They just forgot they were supposed to be caring for a young child? This seems like criminal negligence, imo.

 

[VenomMommy]

This is horrifying! It seems you can't trust anyone with a child!

 

[Clearsky]

3-year-old boy dies after being left in hot car in Birmingham

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office identified the boy as Keterrius Sparks, of Bessemer.

www.wbrc.com

Authorities say he was found alone inside a hot vehicle that was parked at a home in the 1500 block of Pine Tree Drive. He was left in the car on Tuesday, July 22, from 12:30-5:30 p.m.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Absolutely horrifying beyond belief. From above link:

The Department of Human Resources released the following statement:

"A child in DHR custody was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred. The provider has terminated their employee."

 

[tlcya]

Terminating the independent contractor responsible is a good start but they need to be charged. If the boy's father had done that he'd be in jail right now. Just because this child's death was caused by someone DHS hired doesn't give that person a pass IMO

 

[tlcya]

hot vehicle that was parked at a home in the 1500 block of Pine Tree Drive. Officials say he was left in the car on Tuesday, July 22, from around 12:30 p.m. until around 5:30 p.m.
3-year-old boy dies after being left in hot car in Birmingham

police received a 911 call at around 6:40 p.m. reporting that a child had been found unresponsive in a vehicle parked at a worker's residence.
Family of toddler who died in hot car hires attorney to probe incident

I am glad he family hired an attorney. DHS/CPS had a duty to protect him, third party was their pick, their contractor. and apparently the worker, rather than deliver KJ to his daycare as contracted, just went home, leaving this cutie in their car, to roast the rest of the day.

The future lawsuit(s) are inevitable and justified IMO, but I would also expect to see charges against the worker. At least in a just world.

 

[SluethinAway]

Terminating the independent contractor responsible is a good start but they need to be charged. If the boy's father had done that he'd be in jail right now. Just because this child's death was caused by someone DHS hired doesn't give that person a pass IMO

Absolutely agree!

 

[starlightstarbright]

Never mind the being left in the car bit, though obviously that had fatal consequences, but a DHS employee should never be taking a vulnerable child back to their own house for any reason.

 

[tlcya]

Never mind the being left in the car bit, though obviously that had fatal consequences, but a DHS employee should never be taking a vulnerable child back to their own house for any reason.

thank you. Why did this worker return to their personal residence at 12:30 and never leave again or discover their error until the foster parents sounded the alarm and they were contacted around 5:30pm.?

Something missing from this story.

 

[Inthedetails]

Never mind the being left in the car bit, though obviously that had fatal consequences, but a DHS employee should never be taking a vulnerable child back to their own house for any reason.

100% agree.

My young-adult son has a job that is largely done out-of-office without direct supervision. At certain times during the day, he's required to send a selfie to the supervisor. It seems sort of ridiculous to my GenX ears (just trust employees to do their job!)....but perhaps a check-in procedure like that would've saved this child.

jmopinion

 

[parliamenth0l]

Does anyone have verification that the residential location the baby was parked at was the DHS worker/contractor's home? I worry I might be missing something but I don't see that indicated anywhere specifically. My first thought was that it was potentially drug-related and the worker stopped by somewhere to pick up, because I can't see otherwise how you can ignore a 3-year-old and forget about him for so long.

ETA: or some kind of affair situation, like they wanted to go stop somewhere to see an AP and lost track of time w/ drugs or alcohol. I just can't imagine impairment not somehow being involved here.

 

[TMich6811]

Imagine having your child removed for likely unsafe situations and then killed by the people who took them for safety.

I hope the employer is aiding in charges. We would.

 

[parliamenth0l]

Attorney: Audio recording captures contracted DHR worker apologizing over 3-year-old's death

She hasn't been charged with a crime and has not been identified, so WVTM 13 is disguising her voice.

www.wvtm13.com

Attorney: Audio recording captures contracted DHR worker apologizing over 3-year-old's death

looks like the worker called and said something like this:

“I got sidetracked…I stopped to get something to eat and when I came out, instead of going left to the daycare, I got a call that said I didn't have a case. I instantly said in my head, ‘well, I'm done for the day. I’m going to go home’…I didn't know he was in there. I forgot he was back there. I'm so sorry.”

Apparently the poor boy unfastened the car seat but the DHS worker had childlock on

What I don’t understand is, if she drove to the grocery store and got food, and then got out and forgot about the kid, does that mean she got back in her car, drove home, and just didn’t notice the baby was in there on the way home? What? His family says he was verbal so I just don’t see how that’s possible.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Arrest Made in Death of Alabama Boy Who Was Allegedly 'Forgotten' in Hot Car for 5 Hours

Ke'Torrius Starkes Jr. died on July 22 after being left unattended in a hot car in Birmingham, Ala.

people.com

She has been arrested and named in MSM now.

Including NY Times:

Contractor Arrested in Connection With Death of Alabama 3-Year-Old in Hot Car

The child, who was in foster care, died on July 22 after being left in a vehicle. A contractor for the state’s Human Resources Department was charged with a felony on Friday.

www.nytimes.com

 

[parliamenth0l]

Arrest Made in Death of Alabama Boy Who Was Allegedly 'Forgotten' in Hot Car for 5 Hours

Ke'Torrius Starkes Jr. died on July 22 after being left unattended in a hot car in Birmingham, Ala.

people.com

She has been arrested and named in MSM now.

Including NY Times:

Contractor Arrested in Connection With Death of Alabama 3-Year-Old in Hot Car

The child, who was in foster care, died on July 22 after being left in a vehicle. A contractor for the state’s Human Resources Department was charged with a felony on Friday.

www.nytimes.com

The article mentions she went to a restaurant and then a tobacco store from 11:30-12:30 and then went home, and "didn't realize" the baby was in the car - how is that possible? how did she pick the baby up, go to a restaurant and then "not realize" he was still in the car? where else would be have gone?? I still think drugs have to be at play here somehow

 

[tlcya]

The article mentions she went to a restaurant and then a tobacco store from 11:30-12:30 and then went home, and "didn't realize" the baby was in the car - how is that possible? how did she pick the baby up, go to a restaurant and then "not realize" he was still in the car? where else would be have gone?? I still think drugs have to be at play here somehow

the People article says all that? Or another article? Because I sure don't see all that in there?

 

[parliamenth0l]

the People article says all that? Or another article? Because I sure don't see all that in there?

I posted a screenshot of the paywalled article but it got deleted, oops! Yes, that timeline was outlined in the NYT article that ChatteringBirds posted alongside the People article.

“…Ms. Stanford picked up Ke’Torrius from the supervised visit around 11:30 a.m., then went to a restaurant and a tobacco shop before arriving back at her home about 12:30 p.m., where she left the boy in the car.”

 

[katydid23]

Attorney: Audio recording captures contracted DHR worker apologizing over 3-year-old's death

She hasn't been charged with a crime and has not been identified, so WVTM 13 is disguising her voice.

www.wvtm13.com

Attorney: Audio recording captures contracted DHR worker apologizing over 3-year-old's death

looks like the worker called and said something like this:

“I got sidetracked…I stopped to get something to eat and when I came out, instead of going left to the daycare, I got a call that said I didn't have a case. I instantly said in my head, ‘well, I'm done for the day. I’m going to go home’…I didn't know he was in there. I forgot he was back there. I'm so sorry.”

Apparently the poor boy unfastened the car seat but the DHS worker had childlock on

What I don’t understand is, if she drove to the grocery store and got food, and then got out and forgot about the kid, does that mean she got back in her car, drove home, and just didn’t notice the baby was in there on the way home? What? His family says he was verbal so I just don’t see how that’s possible.

So she stopped to get something to eat, for herself, but didn't offer the child food or drink?

Just ignored his existence while she went inside and got herself some food?

 

[sds71]

"Law enforcement said when KJ died, and they went to this lady's house—the worker—there was illegal tint that was on her car that was so dark that if you were standing next to the car, you couldn't even see KJ was in the back seat. How is that a state agency DHR hired a transportation company to transport a baby around in a vehicle that has illegal tint?" French said.

The investigation into the events on Pine Tree Drive on July 22 continues. French revealed that KJ was in the car when a call was made to Stanford from the daycare. Stanford reportedly took KJ into her home and was throwing cold water on his face.

Attorney Courtney French said they are still awaiting toxicology results to determine if Stanford was under the influence of any substances at the time of the incident. Communication efforts with DHR have been unsuccessful, and the family continues to seek answers.

Family seeks answers on DHR oversight, safety protocols after 3-year-old dies in hot car

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The family of 3-year-old Ke'torrius Starkes Jr., known as "KJ," is demanding transparency and accountability from the Alabama Department of H

abc3340.com