The parents of two young girls who died in a devastating December mobile home fire face multiple felony charges, including reckless burning causing death and child endangerment, authorities announced Friday.
Following a joint investigation by Murrieta Police Department detectives and Murrieta Fire & Rescue arson investigators, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is filing charges against Stacey Hales, 46, and Adam Joseph Keenan, 43, determining them to be criminally responsible for the Dec. 20 blaze that killed their daughters.
Family members previously identified the deceased as 12-year-old Emma Keenan and 11-year-old Abigail Keenan.
Keenan was arrested Friday, March 13, and booked into the Southwest Detention Center at 5:31 p.m., according to jail records. He faces two counts of child endangerment and being under the influence of a controlled substance. A court date has not yet been set.
Hales faces two counts of reckless burning causing death, two counts of reckless burning of an inhabited structure, two counts of child endangerment, animal cruelty, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and a sentence enhancement. She is currently out of custody on a $160,000 bond pending a court appearance.
The deadly fire broke out at approximately 4:42 a.m. at a residence in the 41600 block of Knight Drive. Murrieta Fire & Rescue crews arrived to find the mobile home, a carport, three vehicles, two outbuildings, and a large pine tree fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack to search for occupants but were forced into a defensive operation due to rapidly deteriorating structural conditions. The fire was knocked down in about 45 minutes.
Five people were inside the home at the time. First responders discovered two juveniles and multiple household pets deceased inside the structure. Hales, Keenan, and a third daughter, 12-year-old Ashley Keenan, were transported to local hospitals with injuries of unknown severity. Ashley was later released and placed with a family member.
The arrests mark a stark turn in a tragedy that initially drew a massive outpouring of local support. Following the fire, the community rallied behind the family. A GoFundMe campaign organized by a family friend to assist with medical expenses, housing, and immediate needs has raised $113,060 of a $120,000 goal through 1,400 donations.
Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact Detective Velazquez at (951) 461-6340. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Murrieta Police Department’s website.
