July 24, 2025July 25, 2025

Noir Nation, this one hurts…

An Alabama family is grieving the loss of 3-year-old Ke’Torrius “KJ” Sparks, who tragically died after being left in a sweltering car for over five hours — not by his parents, but by a contracted worker for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the same system that removed him from his biological family for being “unfit.”

According to reports from WRBC, KJ was picked up from daycare around 9 AM on Tuesday morning for a routine supervised visit with his father. But instead of returning him to daycare after the visit, the DHR worker — who was contracted to handle child transport — made several personal stops, including grabbing food, visiting a tobacco store, and eventually heading home… with KJ still in the backseat.

By the time she returned to the vehicle around 6:40 PM, it was too late. First responders pronounced little KJ dead on the scene.

Temperatures that day climbed into dangerous territory, with a heat index of 108°F. Investigators believe the interior of the vehicle likely reached well over 150°F — a fatal environment for any child, let alone a toddler strapped in a car seat for hours.

This wasn’t a tragic parental oversight. This was gross professional neglect.

A worker specifically hired to protect vulnerable children was the one who left this baby to die. The Alabama DHR has since confirmed the worker has been terminated, but both KJ’s biological and foster families — as well as the wider community — are demanding accountability. An attorney representing the family has launched a formal investigation into the incident, and many are calling for criminal charges, sweeping reforms, and serious answers.

KJ was a baby labeled “unsafe” with his own parents, but tragically perished in the care of a system that was supposed to protect him.

We’ll keep you updated as this story develops. Say his name: Ke’Torrius “KJ” Sparks.