An Alabama woman has been arrested following the tragic death of a 3-year-old boy who authorities say was left inside a hot car for approximately five hours, ultimately resulting in his death on July 22.
According to a press release from the Birmingham Police Department, Kela Stanford of Birmingham was taken into custody on Friday, Aug. 1. She faces a felony charge of leaving a child in a vehicle in connection with the death of Ke’Torrius Starkes Jr.
The charge falls under a law that prohibits “leaving a child or incapacitated person unattended in a motor vehicle in a manner that creates an unreasonable risk of injury or harm,” the statement reads.
Ke’Torrius, who was in foster care, was being transported by a contractor working with the Department of Human Resources at the time of the incident, the department previously confirmed to PEOPLE.
Citing police sources, WVTM13 reported that the child had allegedly been left inside the vehicle for five hours, while temperatures in Alabama soared into the triple digits that day.
Birmingham police Sgt. Laquitta Wade told NBC News that investigators believe the incident was accidental.
“At this time, the only thing that I can say is that we believe it [the child’s death] was accidental,” Wade said, noting that the contractor had “forgotten that the child was in the vehicle.”
Courtney French, the attorney representing Ke’Torrius’ family, told PEOPLE, “Had he been with his parents, nothing like this would have ever occurred.”
According to French, the DHR contractor was taking Ke’Torrius—who was in temporary foster care—back to daycare around 11:30 a.m., following a supervised visit with his biological father.
