Arrest Made in Death of Alabama Boy Who Was Allegedly 'Forgotten' in Hot Car for 5 Hours By Liam Quinn and Jillian Frankel 17

An Alabama woman was taken into custody following the death of a 3-year-old boy who police say was “forgotten” in a hot car for five hours, leading to his July 22 death.

Kela Stanford, of Birmingham, was taken into custody Friday, Aug. 1, on a felony charge of leaving a child in a car in connection with the death of Ke’Torrius Starkes Jr., according to a Birmingham Police Department press release. 

The charge stems from 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 release states.

Ke’Torrius, who was in foster care, was being “transported” by a Department of Human Resources contractor when he died in Birmingham, Ala., the department previously confirmed to PEOPLE.

WVTM13 reported, citing police, that the boy was allegedly left in a car for five hours with temperatures in Alabama in triple digits.

Birmingham police Sgt. Laquitta Wade told NBC News the incident is believed to have been an accident.

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“At this time, the only thing that I can say is that we believe it [the child’s death] was accidental,” Wade reportedly said, adding that a contractor had “forgotten that the child was in the vehicle.”

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Ke’Torrius’ family lawyer Courtney French told PEOPLE, “Had he been with his parents, nothing like this would have ever occurred.”

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French said a DHR contractor was taking Ke’Torrius, in temporary foster care, to his daycare around 11:30 a.m. after a supervised visit with his biological father.