BIRMINGHAM, AL – Authorities have charged an Alabama woman with manslaughter after a 3-year-old boy died when he was left inside a hot vehicle for hours, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Kela Stanford, 54, was arrested Friday after investigators determined that 3-year-old Ketorrius Starks Jr., known as KJ, died in a car parked outside Stanford’s home on Pine Tree Drive. Stanford, an employee of The Covenant Services, was responsible for transporting children in state custody to and from daycare appointments as part of a contract with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

On July 22, KJ was found unresponsive in the back seat of Stanford’s car around 5:30 p.m. Officials said he had been left inside since about 12:30 p.m., spending roughly five hours alone as temperatures soared. Emergency responders from Birmingham Fire and Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene.

A warrant for Stanford’s arrest was initially issued for allegedly leaving a child under the age of 7 unattended in a vehicle in a way that posed an unreasonable risk. She now faces a manslaughter charge in connection with the boy’s death.

Court records indicate that Stanford was well-acquainted with KJ and his family. The boy, who was in foster care, was regularly transported by Stanford between state offices and his daycare. KJ’s aunt described fond memories of their last visit together in May, sharing pizza and playing with pool toys. For the family, the news was devastating. “It hurts deeply because they failed him, and it makes me feel like we failed him as well,” his aunt said.

Alabama’s Department of Human Resources confirmed the incident involved a contracted provider and that the employee was immediately dismissed. The agency cited privacy concerns and declined to provide further details on the child or the circumstances of the case.

After the tragedy, transcripts of a phone conversation appeared to show Stanford admitting she became distracted after work and forgot KJ was still in the back seat. During the call, KJ’s father pressed her to explain how she could have forgotten his son. Family members expressed heartbreak and frustration at the preventability of the incident, with KJ’s father recalling his son’s affectionate goodbyes just hours before his death.

At a vigil held Friday, family members and supporters gathered to honor KJ’s memory. The family’s attorney described the sequence of events, alleging that Stanford had driven with the child for over an hour before returning home and failing to check the back seat. The attorney called KJ’s death a “parent’s worst nightmare,” noting that the interior temperature of the vehicle likely exceeded 140 degrees during the hours the boy was trapped.

Following her arrest, Stanford was released from jail on a $30,000 bond. She did not appear at her initial court date scheduled for Monday; a new hearing is expected to take place in September.

The case has renewed concerns about vehicle safety and the vulnerability of children in the foster care system. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances, as KJ’s family demands accountability and reform to prevent similar tragedies in the future.