WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) – A judge has ruled that there is enough evidence to proceed with the cases against three people charged with the overdose death of a 15-year-old Wichita girl last year.
Isaac Hord and Niklas Wiley, both 25, are each charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment in the death of Kennedy Herren. Danielle Wheeler, who was 53 at the time of her arrest, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.
Officers responded the morning of September 14, 2025, to the report of a deceased teenager at a home near McConnell Air Force Base. Investigators determined Kennedy’s death to be the result of a drug overdose.
Wiley is charged in a separate but related case with three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, three counts of criminal sodomy and one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
Court documents allege that Kennedy was with Hord and Wiley at the home of Danielle Wheeler, Hord’s mother.
Wiley told officers at the scene that Kennedy was a “family friend” and they were close, but not romantically involved, per the affidavit. Wiley said that he and Hord were drinking White Claws and got drunk. He said Kennedy might have “got a hold” of a White Claw and got drunk as well. He eventually told officers that he saw her take a Xanax pill that Hord had “lying around,” as well as smoke marijuana and use cocaine. Wiley said Herren told him that she took a Percocet before he picked her up earlier in the evening.
The three fell asleep and when Wiley woke up, he said he found Kennddy lying on the ground and not breathing.
MORE: Men spent the night with teen, provided alcohol, drugs on night of her death, court docs say
Following preliminary hearings on Monday, Sedgwick County District Court Judge Jeff Syrios scheduled arraingments for Hord and Wiley on April 20. Wheeler’s arraignment is scheduled for April 24.
Hord and Wiley remain jailed on $1 million bond. Wheeler posted $500,000 and was released in October.