Vigil to be held for 3-year-old who died in hot car

BESSEMER, Ala. (WBRC) - The Bessemer community will come together Friday, August 1 for a vigil and balloon release in memory of a 3-year-old who died after being left in a hot car.

Ke’Torrius ‘KJ’ Starkes, Jr. of Bessemer was found alone inside the hot vehicle that was parked at a home in the 1500 block of Pine Tree Drive in Birmingham. Officials say he was left in the car on Tuesday, July 22, from around 12:30 p.m. until around 5:30 p.m.

Birmingham Police say he was accidentally left inside of the vehicle while in the care of Covenant Services, a third-party contracted worker for the Department of Human Resources (DHR).

The vigil and balloon release will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of 1st Avenue North in Bessemer, across from the DHR building.

The vigil is open to the public. The family is asking for people to bring green and blue balloons.

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