Murrieta Parents Arrested Months After Fire Claimed Lives of Two Daughters

Stacey Hales and Adam Keenan were arrested for a fatal December fire in Murrieta. Charges include reckless burning and child endangerment.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 14, 2026, 6:01 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from CBS Los Angeles.

Criminal Investigation Concludes with Parental Arrests

Months after a devastating fire destroyed a mobile home in Murrieta, the girls' parents have been taken into custody. Stacey Hales, 46, and Adam Keenan, 43, were arrested following an intensive joint investigation by Murrieta Police and Murrieta Fire & Rescue. Authorities determined there was sufficient evidence to establish that the couple was criminally responsible for the Dec. 20 blaze. Hales faces nine felony counts, including reckless burning causing death and child endangerment, while Keenan faces charges of child endangerment and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The Fatal December Fire on Sherwood Avenue

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, 2025, when flames rapidly engulfed the family’s mobile home, carport, and several surrounding structures. Murrieta Fire & Rescue crews arrived to find the home fully involved; it took approximately 45 minutes to extinguish the fire. Upon searching the remains of the structure, firefighters located the bodies of two young sisters, Abby and Emma. In addition to the human lives lost, six of the family's pets also perished in the inferno. Hales, Keenan, and a third daughter survived the fire but required hospitalization for their injuries.

Allegations of Drug Influence and Reckless Conduct

A key component of the charges against both parents involves the allegation that they were under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the fire. For Hales, the charges are significantly more severe, including "reckless burning causing death," suggesting that her direct actions or gross negligence led to the ignition of the fire. Murrieta Fire Chief Bernard Molloy previously described the scene as "devastating," noting the emotional toll the recovery took on firefighters, many of whom have children of similar ages.