Kela Stanford, a state child care employee, is facing manslaughter charges after a 3-year-old in her care was found dead in her vehicle.
A 54-year-old woman contracted by the state to transport foster children has been arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of a 3-year-old boy. The child, Ketorrius Starks, Jr., was found dead in a hot car on July 22 after allegedly being left in the vehicle for five hours.
Kela Stanford, a Birmingham resident, was arrested by the Birmingham Police Department on a warrant charging her with manslaughter. The initial warrant was issued on a lesser charge of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle, which is a Class B felony in Alabama. Following an investigation, the charge was upgraded to manslaughter. If convicted, Stanford could face 2 to 20 years in prison.
The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office stated that the death of Ketorrius, also known as “KJ,” was a “terrible tragedy that was completely avoidable and unnecessary.” They extended their condolences to the family but have declined to comment further on the pending case…