A 3-year-old boy, Ketorrius ‘KJ’ Starkes Jr., tragically died after being left in a hot car for five hours while in the care of a state contractor working for the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). The incident has led to the arrest of the contractor, who has been charged with neglect resulting in death. The boy was reportedly forgotten during a transportation visit with his father, which has raised significant concerns about the safety and oversight of children in state custody. The community is mourning the loss of the young child, with vigils held in his honor and public outcry demanding justice and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Alabama lawmakers are now calling for greater transparency and increased oversight of the DHR following this heartbreaking incident, emphasizing that such a tragedy should never have occurred.