Two California parents face multiple felony charges, including reckless burning and child endangerment, following a joint investigation into a December 2025 mobile home fire that claimed the lives of their two young daughters.
The Murrieta Police Department (MPD) announced the arrests of Adam Keenan, 43, and Stacey Hales, 46, on Friday, March 13. The charges stem from a pre-dawn blaze on December 20 that destroyed the family’s residence on Knight Drive and killed 12-year-old Emma Keenan and 11-year-old Abby Keenan.
The Fatal Incident
Emergency crews from Murrieta Fire & Rescue and the MPD arrived at the Knight Drive property at approximately 4:42 a.m. to find a catastrophic scene. A mobile home, a carport, three vehicles, and two outbuildings were fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters battled the inferno for 45 minutes before the scene was declared safe for entry. Inside, responders discovered the bodies of the two juveniles. Several household pets also perished in the fire.
Hales, Keenan, and a third daughter survived the blaze but required immediate hospitalization for their injuries.
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Criminal Charges and Allegations
Following a three-month investigation involving MPD detectives and arson investigators, authorities determined the parents were “criminally responsible” for the fire and the resulting fatalities.
Stacey Hales faces the most severe charges, including:
- 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
Hales is currently out of custody after posting $160,000 bail.
Adam Keenan has been charged with:
- Two counts of child endangerment
- Being under the influence of a controlled substance
Keenan was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center. While he was scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday, March 17, his current legal status following that hearing has not yet been updated in public records.
Investigation and Community Impact
The MPD has not released the specific cause of the fire but noted that the evidence established probable cause regarding the parents’ negligence and drug use at the time of the incident.
In the days following the December fire, a GoFundMe campaign organized by a family friend raised funds for the survivors. At the time, supporters claimed Hales had suffered severe injuries, including the loss of her eyesight. The couple’s surviving daughter was reportedly placed in the care of relatives.
