Authorities said the 9-month-old was left alone for about eight hours before he was found unresponsive.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A Tuscaloosa mother has been charged with felony child abuse after authorities said her 9-month-old son died June 30 after being left home alone for about eight hours.
Investigators said 29-year-old Ja’keisa Knox called 911 around 4 p.m. after returning to her apartment in the 4800 block of 21st Avenue East and finding the infant unresponsive. The child was taken by ambulance to DCH Regional Medical Center, where he died. Authorities said the case remains under investigation while officials wait for autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Knox told investigators she was the child’s sole caregiver and had left the baby alone around 8 a.m. while she went to work, authorities said. She returned around 4 p.m. and called for help after finding him unresponsive. Capt. Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit said Knox claimed she had tried to get family members to check on the child. “That’s still under investigation,” Kennedy said. Officials said witnesses supported parts of Knox’s account, including the time she was away from the apartment.
Medical workers who treated the infant reported several concerns to investigators, including numerous physical injuries, extreme underweight and signs of malnourishment. Those findings led hospital staff to contact the Violent Crimes Unit. Kennedy said investigators consulted with the district attorney’s office before filing the felony child abuse charge. He said the condition of the child and the report that Knox often left him alone were key parts of the probable cause finding. Officials have not released the child’s name or a final cause of death.
The investigation centers on an apartment on 21st Avenue East in Tuscaloosa, where emergency crews responded Tuesday afternoon. Authorities said Knox had other children, but they were not home when the infant was found. Investigators said they are working with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to make sure the other children are safe while the case moves forward. Officials have not said whether any other adults were expected to be at the apartment during the hours Knox was gone.
Knox was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail and is being held without bond. Investigators said more charges are possible after the autopsy is complete. Once the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences determines the child’s official cause and manner of death, authorities said prosecutors could consider upgrading the charge, including the possibility of a murder charge. No court date had been publicly announced in the initial reports.
The case has drawn attention across Tuscaloosa because of the child’s age and the length of time authorities said he was left alone. Kennedy said investigators are still reviewing Knox’s statements, witness accounts and the child’s medical findings. The apartment complex remained the focus of the inquiry after the child was taken to the hospital. Officials said the case will depend heavily on medical evidence and the final autopsy report.
As of July 6, Knox remained jailed without bond on a felony child abuse charge. The next major step is the release of autopsy findings, which will guide prosecutors on whether additional or upgraded charges are filed.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.