'You wouldn't grab the kids first?': Dad left 3 kids to die inside burning apartment while he saved himself, police say

A Wisconsin antheral who allegedly fled his flat portion it was connected fire, leaving his 3 children to dice inside, present faces felony charges.

Joshua Kannin, 39, was charged with 3 counts of child neglect resulting successful decease connected Tuesday, according to the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office. The charges stemmed from the deaths of Kannin's 3 children, 10-year-old Rylee, 9-year-old Connor, and 7-year-old Alena, who died aft their father's flat caught connected occurrence connected Nov. 27, 2025. According to a transgression ailment obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kannin said helium and his children went to furniture astatine 9 p.m.

A abbreviated clip later, Kannin said helium woke up and went downstairs, wherever helium saw "a small fire" successful the kitchen. He told constabulary that helium "panicked" and ran to his neighbour to bang connected their doorway for help, reasoning his children were inactive connected the 2nd level of his apartment.

By the clip firefighters and constabulary arrived astatine the country astir 10:30 p.m., the flat was "fully engulfed" successful flames. Kannin reportedly ran to the archetypal responders to archer them his 3 children were inactive inside.

According to the complaint, Kannin told constabulary that aft helium went to his neighbor's apartment, helium returned to his flat and heard his children inside. Kannin told police, "I tried to spell backmost in, but fume conscionable came astatine maine and I couldn't see. I hardly got 2 steps successful and I had to crook backmost around."

Connor and Rylee were recovered dormant successful the kitchen, wherever authorities believed the occurrence started. Alena was taken to a infirmary and aboriginal died. According to reporting connected the ailment by section ABC affiliate WISN, authorities saw grounds that the 2 boys were making noodles connected the stove portion their begetter was dormant upstairs and could person accidentally started the fire. One of the burners connected the stove was recovered successful the "on" position.

Police said Kannin admitted to leaving assorted items connected the stove, including "packs of donuts, his wallet, battalion of cigarettes, a toaster, his enactment bag, napkins and perchance adjacent different items," which authorities believed could person caught occurrence portion the boys were cooking.

According to the complaint, Kannin besides admitted that helium unhooked the fume alarms successful the flat due to the fact that helium believed they were malfunctioning and going disconnected astatine random, which was becoming "an annoyance." Kannin told constabulary that helium smoked successful the apartment, which was against the property's rules, and boarded up the windows to forestall burglars from breaking in.

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Jourdan Feasby, the parent of the 3 children, had dropped them disconnected to walk the second portion of the Thanksgiving vacation with their father. In the complaint, she told police that she thought Kannin's flat was "absolutely disgusting." She described the nutrient concern for the kids erstwhile they stayed astatine the flat arsenic "fend for yourself, successful a sense."

In an interrogation with People, Feasby said she spoke to Kannin astatine the infirmary aft the fire, portion helium was being treated for fume inhalation. She said she asked him, "You wouldn't drawback the kids first?"

The Kenosha Fire Department said successful a press release aft the charges were announced, "There is nary grounds that the father, Joshua Kannin, caused the fire, either done an mishap oregon a malicious act."

Kannin was charged with 3 felony counts of kid neglect causing death. He did not look connected immoderate jailhouse rosters connected Thursday. His archetypal tribunal quality was scheduled for May 14.

GoFundMe campaigns were launched aft the occurrence to assistance rise wealth for expenses.