On the day of the incident, temperatures reached 96°F, and the car’s interior likely rose above 150°F. KJ, a young child, was tragically found unresponsive in the vehicle and pronounced dead at 6:03 PM.
KJ had been placed in the temporary custody of Alabama’s Department of Human Resources (DHR) due to concerns about drug use in his home. That morning, a contracted employee from Covenant Services Inc. picked him up from daycare for a supervised visit with his father. Afterward, the employee allegedly ran personal errands and left KJ in the car outside their home.
KJ’s aunt and foster parent, Brittney Debruce, discovered he was missing when she arrived to pick him up. She and responding officers later found him in the vehicle. The family’s attorney, Courtney French, called the death “a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy,” saying the system meant to protect KJ had failed him.
DHR confirmed the child was in the care of a contracted provider, who has since fired the employee. Police say the employee is cooperating with the investigation, and no charges have been filed so far. KJ’s autopsy is complete, and his funeral is scheduled for Saturday, August 2.
