House Fire Claims Three Children in McKee, KY

Another child and three adults were injured in the Jackson County fire that remains under investigation.
Dec. 26, 2025

Taylor Six

Lexington Herald-Leader

(TNS)

A house fire in Jackson County killed three children and injured a fourth overnight Tuesday.

Kentucky State Police were called just before midnight Dec. 23 to investigate the fatal fire on Upper Dry Fork Road in McKee.

When they arrived, police found three children, ages 7 months, 2 years and 3 years old, dead.

A fourth child, 4, was taken to University of Kentucky Hospital and later transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, for further treatment, police said.

Three adults, identified as Tyler Monst, 23; Morgan Johnson, 22; and Florence Johnson, 76, all of McKee, were also injured and taken to UK for treatment.

Trooper Justin Kearney confirmed Monst and Johnson were the children’s parents. He said state police would not release the names of the children as they are minors.

The cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation, state police said.

This is a developing report.

©2025 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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