The father of three children who died in a Kenosha house fire on Thanksgiving Day last November has been charged with child neglect from the incident.
The Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office charged Joshua Kannin, 39, with three counts of child neglect on April 21.
Authorities’ leading theory is the fire resulted from two of the children turning on the stove to make food while Kannin was asleep, per the complaint. Before the incident, Kannin had taken down, and not replaced, a smoke alarm in the home, and routinely kept combustible materials near the stove.
Police began receiving calls about a fire at Kannin’s apartment at 5221 43rd Ave. around 10:39 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2025. Kannin was staying at the apartment with his three children – Rylee Kannin, 10, Connor Kannin, 9, and Alena Kannin, 7 – who all died in the fire.
Authorities believe cause of the fire was two of the children, Rylee and Connor, came downstairs to make noodles on the stove, while Kannin and the other child were upstairs, according to the complaint. Police found the right rear burner of the stove turned on and a cooking pan and “food material” near the origin of the fire.
“Both boys were found in the room of origin and had been overcome by the smoke, heat and flames,” the Kenosha Fire Department said in an April 22 news release.
The fire likely spread rapidly after catching on to items that were kept on the stove, authorities said. Kannin told police he remembered “packs of donuts, his wallet, pack of cigarettes, a toaster, his work bag, napkins and possibly even other items” being on the stove, according to the complaint.
Authorities found no evidence to suggest Kannin intentionally caused the fire, according to the complaint. However, Kannin said he took down a smoke alarm in the apartment.
“He stated he had taken down this smoke alarm at some point in the past because it started to malfunction or make sounds,” the complaint said. “The defendant explained it would randomly go off, and that he took it down to clear it out. The defendant made no mention of putting the smoke alarm back up.”
Two of the children went to sleep around 9 p.m., followed by Kannin going to sleep an hour later, while the third child was awake in the same room.
Kannin later woke up to the fire and panicked, walking out of his apartment to bang on his neighbor’s door for help, the complaint said.
“I tried to go back in, but smoke just came at me and I couldn’t see,” Kannin said in an interview with police cited in the complaint. “I barely got 2 steps in and I had to turn back around.”
Firefighters found one of the children, Alena, at about 10:51 p.m., and she was transported to a hospital for her injuries. She died the following morning. The other two siblings, Connor and Rylee, died in the fire and were brought out of the building shortly before 11:30 p.m., according to the complaint.
In the months since the fire, Kenosha police have worked with the Kenosha Fire Department the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident, police said in an April 22 statement. Authorities uncovered “a substantial body of evidence, including surveillance footage, witness statements, and detailed fire investigation reports,” police said.
“We recognize the profound impact this tragic event has had on our community,” Kenosha police said. “In the face of this tragedy, we stand united, offering our support, compassion, and continued commitment to serving this community.”
The children spent Thanksgiving morning with their grandparents and mother, Jourdan Feasby, before arriving at Kannin’s apartment. Feasby, who shared joint custody of the children with Kannin, told police the children’s eating routine at their father’s house was “fend for yourself in a sense,” according to the complaint.
In December, Feasby told the Journal Sentinel she wondered why the children’s father was unable to get them help that night, adding that she “can’t wait for the full picture of the puzzle.”
“The truth will come to light,” Feasby said at the time. “I will get justice for them.”
Kannin is scheduled for an initial court appearance on May 14.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Father charged with child neglect in Kenosha house fire that killed 3 kids
Reporting by Maia Pandey and David Clarey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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