Kenosha mom of kids killed in Thanksgiving fire speaks out after father is charged for child neglect

Nearly five months later, Jourdan Feasby is still learning to live with this loss.

“I died with them that day. I’m just a shell here,” said Feasby.

In one night – a fire claimed the lives of her kids, 10-year-old Rylee, 9-year-old Connor and 7-year-old Alena Kannin.

“I never knew that a pain like this existed,” said Feasby.

Now the children’s father, 39-year-old Joshua Kannin is facing three counts of child neglect charges.

“We tried to do this, looked at similar cases throughout the country and it was very difficult to find cases like this,” said Lt. Adam Jurgens with the Kenosha Police Department

In this criminal complaint, police say the fire started when the two boys went into the kitchen to make food while Kannin was asleep. When Kannin woke up, he noticed the fire and ran out to get help. His kids were still inside the apartment.

“It was the police department’s belief that there were actions that could have done and should've been done and measures that most people would take that would’ve prevented – potentially prevented this tragedy,” said. Lt. Jurgens.

Kannin admitted to investigators he removed smoke detectors so that he could smoke cigarettes in his kitchen.

“I was on him about not having the smoke detectors, I let his mother know who cleaned his house once a week that there were no smoke detectors, I let the landlord know there were no smoke detectors,” said Feasby.

Kenosha Police say the investigation and decision to refer charges took time.

“Good policework can be a slow process, but we wanted to make sure no stone wasn’t unturned,” said. Lt. Jurgens.

For Feasby, this is just the beginning of what she says is a long journey forward.

“It’s been a battle every single day,” said Feasby.