Key Facts
• On July 22, a 3-year-old boy, Kattrius Starks Jr., died in Birmingham, Alabama.
• The child was left in a parked car for over 5 hours in temperatures of 33.9–35.6°C.
• Heat index inside the car reached 38.3–40.6°C due to high humidity.
• The boy was under the care of a state-contracted worker for child protection services.
• The worker left the child in the car while running personal errands.
• The incident occurred after a court-ordered parental visitation ended at 11:30 a.m.
• The worker returned home at 12:30 p.m., leaving the child in the car with windows closed.
• The daycare contacted the worker at 5:30 p.m., prompting the discovery of the child.
• Emergency services confirmed the boy’s death at 6:03 p.m.
• This is Alabama’s first hot car child death in 2025; 16 such deaths have occurred nationwide this year.
Summary
A 3-year-old boy, Kattrius Starks Jr., tragically died in Birmingham, Alabama, after being left in a hot car for over five hours under the care of a state-contracted child protection worker. The worker, responsible for transporting the child to daycare, left him in the vehicle while running personal errands. Temperatures inside the car reached dangerous levels, with a heat index of up to 40.6°C. The incident occurred after a court-ordered parental visitation, and the child was discovered only after the daycare contacted the worker. Emergency services confirmed the boy’s death at 6:03 p.m. This marks Alabama’s first hot car child death in 2025, contributing to a nationwide total of 16 such fatalities this year. The family and legal representatives have expressed outrage, emphasizing the preventable nature of the tragedy.
