Latest news with #DepartmentOfHumanResources
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Alabama child dies after being left in hot car while in state custody, authorities say
Alabama authorities are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy who was left in a hot car by a contractor for the state human resources department on July 22, police said. Ketorrius Starks had been "accidentally left inside of a vehicle" while in the care of a third-party worker contracted by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the state's child protective services agency, the Birmingham Police Department told USA TODAY on July 27. Officers received a report of an unresponsive child shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time on July 22. Authorities discovered Ketorrius inside of a vehicle parked outside of a residence in a Birmingham neighborhood, according to police. The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced the child dead at the scene. The child had been left alone in the vehicle between 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., according to the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office. He was pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m., the medical examiner's office said. The child was initially identified by the medical examiner's office as Katerrius Sparks, of Bessemer, Alabama, police said. The chief deputy coroner, Bill Yates, said in a statement to USA TODAY that the medical examiner's office had received multiple variations of the child's name from his family. Yates noted that Ketorrius Starks is the most recent spelling of the child's name provide by his family and their funeral director. The Birmingham Police Department said it is currently conducting a death investigation. The contract worker, who has not been publicly identified by police, was transported to the police department for questioning and has been cooperative in the investigation, police said. The Alabama Department of Human Resources confirmed to local media outlets that the child "was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred," adding that the worker had been terminated, according to WVTM 13 and The state human resources department did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on July 27. Where do hot car deaths happen the most? Data reveals where (and when) it's most common. Reports: Family attorney says contract worker was supposed to return child to day care The family's attorney, Courtney French, told and CNN that the contract worker had picked up Ketorrius from day care at around 9 a.m. on July 22 for a supervised visit with his father. The visit, which ended at about 11:30 a.m., was part of a court-ordered process for the parents to regain their custody of Ketorrius, according to CNN. After the visit ended, French alleged that the worker made "numerous personal errands" with Ketorrius in the back of their vehicle instead of returning him to day care, CNN and reported. The worker then returned to their home, leaving Ketorrius in the vehicle for about five hours, according to the news outlets. In a statement shared by French, according to Ketorrius' family called the incident a "parent's worst nightmare." "Our baby should be alive,' the family added in the statement. Hot temperatures and humidity were recorded on the day of the incident, according to the National Weather Service's office in Birmingham. The maximum temperature on July 22 reached 96 degrees shortly before 3 p.m., the weather service said in its daily climatological report. Tips to prevent summer tragedy: Child hot car deaths could happen in any family. Alabama child is the latest hot car death in the U.S. In 2024, there were 41 child deaths in hot cars across the United States from May to November, according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety, which tracks such deaths and advocates for preventative measures. The most common months for hot car deaths are June, July, and August when sweltering temperatures grip much of the nation. More than 1,100 children have died in hot cars nationwide since 1990, Kids and Car Safety said in a news release on July 23. At least 7,500 other children have survived with injuries. The group said Ketorrius is at least the 16th child to die in a hot car in 2025. "Approximately 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger and the majority (55%) were unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver," according to Kids and Car Safety. The group and other experts have noted that most hot car deaths are accidental, and these types of incidents can happen to anyone. Hot car deaths most often occur when a parent or caregiver has a change in routine or miscommunicate with each other over who's in charge of taking the child inside, Kids and Car Safety founder Janette Fennell previously told USA TODAY. The same brain mechanism that causes a person to leave their cup of coffee on top of their car and drive away also causes someone to leave a child behind, Fennell said. In many cases, a change in routine — such as a parent who doesn't normally do day care drop-off — and a brain operating on autopilot leads to the tragedy. "In over half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child unknowingly left them in the vehicle," according to Kids and Car Safety. "In most situations, this happens to loving, caring, and protective parents. It has happened to a teacher, dentist, social worker, police officer, nurse, clergyman, soldier, and even a rocket scientist." Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama child dies in hot car while in state custody: Authorities
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Alabama child dies after being left in hot car while in state custody
An investigation has been triggered after a three-year-old boy died after being left in a hot car by a contractor for the state human resources department in Alabama. Ke'Torrius Starkes Jr, who was in foster care, had been picked up in the late morning on Tuesday by the worker after a supervised visit with his father, the New York Times reported. He was supposed to be transported to a day care program by a worker for the department, which oversees child protection other social services. Instead the boy was left alone strapped in a vehicle with tinted windows on a hot day in Bessemer, a suburb of Birmingham. The Birmingham police department said officers went to a private home in Bessemer to respond to a report of an unresponsive child at around 5.30pm and found that the boy was 'accidentally left inside of a vehicle while in the care of a third-party contracted worker through the Department of Human Resources'. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene, the police said. The chief deputy coroner of Jefferson county, Bill Yates, told the Times that 'the child was found in a car that was ignition off, doors closed, windows up and it was hot in the car' and so far there was 'no other competing cause of death'. 'A child in DHR custody was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred,' a spokesperson for Alabama DHR said in a statement. 'The provider has terminated their employee. Due to confidentiality, DHR cannot comment further regarding the identity of the child or the exact circumstances.' Police are now investigating the incident to examine for any possible criminal charges in the case. 'We need answers, and we may need to examine state law to make sure this never happens again,' said state senator Merika Coleman, a Democrat.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Boy dies after being ‘left in hot car by child services driver shopping for tobacco'
A three-year-old foster child has died in Alabama after a driver employed by local children's services left him alone in a hot car for around five hours. The boy has been named by Jefferson County Coroner's Office as Kettorius 'KJ' Starks Jnr of Bessemer. He was found in the vehicle parked on a driveway with its windows rolled up, on Tuesday, July 22, reports. Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates stated the boy is believed to have been left alone in the car from 12.30pm until around 5.30pm when he was discovered. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at 6.03pm. Local temperatures reached around 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35C) on Tuesday afternoon, but the National Weather Service states it would have felt as high as 103 degrees (39.4C) by 1pm, taking into account the high humidity. The boy's aunt Brittney Debruce said he was living in a foster home and was under the care of Alabama's Department of Human Resources at the time of his death. Ms Debruce stated that a transport driver working as a contractor for the children's services department has picked the boy up from daycare and took him for a planned visit with his father in Bessner. After the visit, the driver is said to have alleged to purchase groceries and tobacco before parking the vehicle on the driveway of his home. The alarm was raised when Kettorius' foster carer went to pick him up from the daycare facility and found he wasn't there. Ms Debruce stated that she and Birmingham Police later found the child inside the car. The boy's mother was informed of the tragedy and the family are said to have been left devastated. "We don't know what's going on," Debruce added. Kettorius's parents issued a statement and described the situation as their "worst nightmare," adding: "Our baby should be alive." Birmingham police are investigating the child's death. In a statement, Alabama's Department of Human Resources said: "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." The driver that picked up Kettorius worked for a company called The Covenant Services, that was contracted to carry out transport services. The Debruce family attorney Courtney French said: "This is a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy."
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Adorable boy, 3, killed after being left in hot car by SOCIAL SERVICES WORKER who was supposed to care for him
A three-year-old boy died after a social services worker left him in a hot car for five hours, according to police. KeTorrius Starkes Jr. was found unresponsive inside the car outside the worker's house in Alabama on Tuesday, after he had reportedly been left there between 12.30pm and 5.30pm. The boy was still in his fastened car seat in the vehicle, which was off and had the windows rolled up, officials said. He was declared dead about 30 minutes after he was found. The temperature inside the car likely exceeded 150 degrees, according to his family. KeTorrius, nicknamed KJ, was in the care of a Department of Human Resources contract worker who was supposed to take him back to day care after a supervised visit with his father, KeTorrius Starkes Sr. Instead of returning the child to day care, the worker, who has not been identified, stopped at a grocery store and tobacco shop before returning to their house, according to a lawyer hired by Starkes Sr. 'A heartbreaking and preventable tragedy,' attorney Courtney French told ABC News. '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.' The employee 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's not clear why the boy had been living with a temporary foster family. KJ's family called for the employee to be 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.' reached out to the Birmingham Police Department about whether the worker could face criminal charges.
Khaleej Times
30-05-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
Eid Al Adha in UAE: Ajman announces 4-day holiday for public sector
Authorities in Ajman have announced a four-day public holiday for Eid Al Adha on Friday. The holiday will begin on the Day of Arafat, which will fall on June 5, and will continue till June 8, the emirate's Department of Human Resources said. Official working hours will resume on Monday, June 9. Sharjah authorities have made a similar announcement regarding the upcoming long break.
