Tragic Death of 3-Year-Old KJ Starks Jr.
A vigil was held on Friday evening in Bessemer, Alabama, for Ketorius “KJ” Starks Jr. Family and friends gathered to remember the young boy, who many described as a vibrant child. As balloons in green, blue, and white—a nod to KJ’s memory—floated into the sky, his grieving parents leaned on their faith and community for support.
“He was our bright little child,” a family representative shared. The overwhelming sentiment was that KJ should still be with them.
On the same day, authorities arrested Kera Stanford, a 54-year-old contractor for a state agency responsible for child welfare. She now faces a felony charge for allegedly leaving KJ in a car for several hours, which, according to investigators, may have reached temperatures of over 140 degrees.
The Jefferson County District Attorney explained that a conviction could lead to a sentence of up to 20 years. “This is a terrible tragedy that was completely avoidable and unnecessary,” commented Danny Kerr, expressing deep sympathy for KJ’s family.
Reportedly, Stanford was tasked with transporting KJ from daycare to a supervised visit with his father. However, documents indicate that instead of taking KJ back to daycare, she stopped for errands, including grocery shopping, returning home with him in the car for around five hours.
“She had one job,” said family lawyer G. Courtney French. “That was to pick up KJ from the daycare and bring him back.” When daycare staff reached out to query about KJ’s whereabouts, Stanford supposedly claimed to have forgotten he was in her vehicle.
Sadly, at 6:03 PM, medical officials pronounced KJ dead. His maternal aunt, Britney Johnson, described him as an energetic boy and found it hard to believe he could be so quiet for that long under someone else’s supervision. She poignantly remarked, “KJ was a life-filled child,” expressing the heartbreak his absence brings to his family.
After her arrest, Stanford was released later that day on a $30,000 bond. There is currently uncertainty about whether she has legal representation, and attempts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.
A spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Human Resources confirmed that an employee involved was terminated following the incident, though they could not disclose further details regarding KJ’s identity or the circumstances due to confidentiality.
