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Court records detail fatal fire investigation
A Kenosha apartment fire on Thanksgiving night killed three children. Public records reveal new details about the investigation.
KENOSHA, Wis. - A Kenosha apartment fire on Thanksgiving night killed three children. As the community mourns and plans a memorial for Wednesday night, public records reveal new details about the investigation.
Siblings dead
The backstory:
Snow now surrounds the boarded-up, charred apartment where 10-year-old Rylee, 9-year-old Connor and 7-year-old Alena Kannin lived with their father.
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Police and fire departments got the call shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27. Police said Rylee and Connor were found dead. Their sister, Alena, was flown to a Milwaukee hospital where she later died. Their dad was treated for smoke inhalation.
Fatal apartment fire in Kenosha
What they're saying:
FOX6 News briefly spoke with him on Tuesday, Dec. 2. He said he wasn't ready to go on camera.
What you can do:
A GoFundMe account has been established for the family of the children in this case.
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Ongoing investigation
Dig deeper:
Court records did not detail where investigators believe the fire started or indicate what started the fire, but they did outline several factors that investigators initially explored.
A warrant said the children's father was not sure how he woke up, but his eyes "felt cloudy." He went downstairs to the kitchen and saw "a little fire on the kitchen floor." He then "panicked and walked out the front door," banged "on his neighbor's door screaming for help" and "screamed to his kids to come downstairs."
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The father said he opened the door, heard his kids and tried to go back in, but the smoke was too much.
Prior to going to bed, the father told investigators he "had a cigarette in the kitchen by the sink" and he "believes he extinguished that cigarette prior to going to sleep."
What's next:
The Kenosha Police Department said it is still investigating the fire, and it could be several days before they have new information about the investigation.
Kenosha fatal fire; Community rallies behind family of 3 young victims
A community is rallying behind a family that lost three young siblings in a Kenosha house fire on Thanksgiving Day.
The Source: FOX6 News reviewed court filings related to the fire investigation, spoke to the father and referenced prior coverage of the fire that included details from the Kenosha Police Department.