Social services worker who left smiling boy, 3, to die in roasting 105F car is LET OUT on bail
Kela Stanford, 54, was taken into custody on Friday after a toddler in her care, KeTorrius Starkes Jr., was found unresponsive in a vehicle parked outside her Birmingham home on July 22.
KeTorrius, nicknamed KJ, was in his fastened car seat in the vehicle, which was off and had the windows rolled up. He was declared dead 30 minutes after he was found.
The temperature inside the car likely exceeded 150 degrees, according to his family.
Before his tragic death, Stanford, a Department of Human Resources contract worker, had taken him to a supervised visit with his father, KeTorrius Starkes Sr.
She was supposed to take KJ, who was in temporary foster care, to daycare after the visit - but the little boy never made it.
Instead, Stanford reportedly stopped at a grocery store and tobacco shop before returning to her house, according to a lawyer hired by Starkes Sr.
Stanford was charged with leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle in a manner that creates an unreasonable risk of injury or harm, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr announced.
She was booked into Jefferson County Jail Friday morning but was released on a $30,000 bond soon after, records reviewed by FOX54 showed.
Stanford, who was charged with a Class B felony, could face two to 20 years behind bars.
'This is a terrible tragedy that was completely avoidable and unnecessary. Our condolences go out to Ketorrius's family,' Carr said.
The family's attorney, Courtney French, previously told ABC News KeTorrius' death was 'a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy.'
'Based upon a preliminary investigation, with the current extreme outside temperatures and the heat index of 108 degrees, the interior temperature of the car where KJ was trapped likely exceeded 150 degrees,' French said.
Stanford was terminated after the child's death, the Alabama Department of Human Resources said.
'The provider has terminated their employee. Due to confidentiality, DHR cannot comment further regarding the identity of the child or the exact circumstances,' the agency said in a statement.
It is unclear why the boy had been living with a temporary foster family.
KJ's family has called for the employee to face further consequences.
His aunt Brittney Johnson said his death was caused by 'neglect.'
'I feel personally that he was neglected and that's the true cause of his death,' she told Local 12.
Starkes Sr. spoke to the press about his son and said: '[He] knew how to count, knew his colors three years old, knew all the animals. I'm talking about he was very intelligent. He was just joyful.'
Meanwhile, several Alabama politicians issued statements in support of the boy's family.
'As a mother and as the Senator for the district where this tragedy happened, I am devastated by the death of little KeTorrius Starks Jr.,' state senator Merika Coleman said, as reported by CBS42.
'We need answers, and we may need to examine state law to make sure this never happens again. My prayers are with his family.'
The Birmingham Police Department previously told Daily Mail Stanford was questioned and cooperated with the investigation.
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