Investigators said the mother of two young girls was reportedly warned about her dangerous cooking habits before a house fire killed her daughters in Murrieta.
On Dec. 20, 2025, Murrieta police and firefighters responded to a burning home on the 41000 block of Knight Drive around 4:45 a.m.
They arrived to find a mobile home, carport, three vehicles, two outbuildings and a large pine tree engulfed in flames.
After extinguishing the blaze, fire crews discovered the bodies of two girls inside the home — Emma Hales, 12, and Abby Hales, 11, — and several family pets.
From left: Emma Keenan, 12, and Abigail (Abby) Keenan, 11. (GoFundMe)
Stacy Hales is seen with at least one of her daughters. (GoFundMe)
A young girl seen in this undated photo was killed in a mobile home fire in Murrieta on Dec. 20, 2025. (GoFundMe)
One of two young girls seen in this undated photo was killed in a mobile home fire in Murrieta on Dec. 20, 2025. (GoFundMe)
The children’s parents, Stacey Hales, 46, and Adam Keenan, 43, were able to escape the burning home with just one child, Ashley Hales, 12, who is Emma’s twin.
Following an investigation, the couple was arrested on suspicion of being criminally responsible for the deadly blaze.
Investigators said Stacey was cooking tortilla chips with hot oil under a wooden carport earlier that day. Authorities believe she failed to turn off a propane tank to the outdoor stove and left it on overnight as she went to bed.
As the fire ignited and quickly engulfed the home, Stacy said she was able to exit the home, but couldn’t go back inside due to the intense heat and smoke. The children’s father escaped through a window with one daughter, but the other two girls were left inside, the Orange County Register reported.
Investigators said there were no working fire alarms in the home to alert anyone and the main entrance and exit ways were partially obstructed by dog crates and other items.
In an officer statement attached to the couple’s arrest warrant, both parents reportedly admitted to regularly using methamphetamine, which, along with cannabis, was found in their system after the fire, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The dangerous cooking practices, lack of working smoke alarms and obstructed doorways may have “directly contributed to the children being placed in a situation where escape was delayed or impossible,” a Murrieta officer wrote in a statement.
Just three months earlier, Stacey had reportedly used the same stove inside her home which also started a fire. Her partner, Keenan, told her “she could kill somebody one day” if she wasn’t more careful, according to a sworn statement from the officer.
Murrieta Police Capt. Jeremy Durrant said officers responded to the family’s home several times over the years for domestic violence calls, child protective services assists and probation searches, the Times reported.
On March 2, both Stacey and Keenan were arrested. Stacey was charged with two counts of arson causing great bodily injury, three counts of willful child cruelty, cruelty to animals, arson and a misdemeanor for allegedly being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Keenan was charged with three felony counts of willful child cruelty and a misdemeanor for allegedly being under the influence of a controlled substance.
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Dining and Cooking