BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The recent death of a 3-year-old boy in Birmingham, allegedly left for hours in a hot car by a third-party worker contracted with the Alabama Department of Human Resources, has thrust the department’s practices and past problems back into public focus. The boy, identified as Keterrius Sparks, reportedly died July 22 after being left inside a vehicle for over five hours while in temporary foster care. Authorities said the child was picked up by a contracted supervision worker but was never returned to daycare after a scheduled family visit. The investigation remains ongoing, and the family has retained legal counsel to probe the incident further.
Alabama’s Department of Human Resources traces its lineage to the creation of the Department of Child Welfare in 1919. Over ensuing decades, the department evolved through several reorganizations and name changes, reflecting shifts in state and federal social policy. Its current designation, Alabama DHR, was adopted in 1986. The agency’s mission continues to center on preventing abuse and neglect while providing key services such as child welfare and protection, foster care and adoption, food assistance, and adult protective services.
In recent years, DHR has encountered a series of struggles, including chronic staffing shortages and controversies around child safety. The department has faced difficulties hiring and retaining child welfare caseworkers, a challenge cited in both state reports and by advocates for families and children. High caseloads and job stress are frequently named factors.
More troubling, DHR has come under fire for system failures that have led to preventable harm. In 2025, groups of current and former employees and child advocates have publicly criticized leadership, alleging systemic problems and lapses in oversight that have contributed to abuse and even deaths of children in custody. A federal review previously found DHR in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, citing systemic issues with language access for families with limited English proficiency in its child welfare programs. Foster youth with disabilities have also reportedly faced unnecessary institutionalization in violation of federal law.
Recent years have featured efforts to address some workforce and operational concerns, such as offering workforce stabilization grants for child care employees and technology upgrades for service recipients. However, critics continue to urge more robust accountability and transparency in how DHR monitors the welfare of children under its supervision.
The July 2025 tragedy in Birmingham follows previous incidents and lawsuits that have placed increased scrutiny on Alabama DHR’s ability to protect the vulnerable children in its care. As investigations continue and advocates demand answers, official reports show the department, while making some progress, continues to grapple with historic and ongoing challenges in fulfilling its core mandate.