Isaac Hord, 25, pleaded guilty Sept. 1 to two charges in the fentanyl overdose death of 15-year-old Kennedy Herren at a southeast Wichita home.

Hord had been scheduled for an arraignment in Sedgwick County District Court but instead waived his right to trial, KSN reported. He pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance causing death and aggravated child endangerment. He had originally been charged with first-degree murder.

His mother, Danielle Wheeler, 53, pleaded not guilty at her arraignment the same day. Wheeler faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. Her jury trial is set for Monday, Oct. 26, according to the Wichita Eagle.

Three people were charged in Herren's death.

Herren died Sept. 14, 2025, at a home in the 4800 block of East New Jersey where Hord lived with Wheeler. The Wichita Police Department responded to a report of a deceased juvenile at approximately 7:56 a.m. that day, according to a department statement.

An autopsy determined Herren died from toxic levels of cocaine, oxycodone, fentanyl and bromazolam, a synthetic substance used to make counterfeit Xanax pills, according to the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center.

Court documents say Hord, Herren and a third defendant, Niklas Wiley, were drinking and using drugs in the house that night. Both Hord and Wiley told police they were drug addicts and knew the substances they were taking could be deadly, especially when mixed, a probable cause affidavit says.

Hord told police he did not give Herren drugs but said he "should have been more responsible," according to court documents cited in KWCH's reporting. He said he did not stop Herren from using drugs in his room because he was too intoxicated.

Wheeler told police she knew Herren was 15 and that her son and Wiley used drugs. She said she allowed it in her home because she "was more about 'harm reduction'" and did not want her son on the street, according to a probable cause affidavit cited in the Wichita Eagle's Aug. 28 coverage of Wiley's sentencing.

Wiley, 25, was sentenced Aug. 28 to 27½ years in prison by Sedgwick County District Judge Jeff Syrios. He had pleaded guilty in June 2026 to distribution of a controlled substance causing death, aggravated child endangerment, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and two counts of criminal sodomy. Court records say he had been in an illegal sexual relationship with Herren since she was 13. He must register as a sex offender for life.

Hord had sought to suppress statements he made to police, arguing he was not properly advised of his Miranda rights. A hearing on that motion had been set for Tuesday but became moot when he changed his plea.

Sedgwick County District Judge Jeff Syrios is scheduled to sentence Hord on Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m. Wheeler's Oct. 26 trial is the final unresolved proceeding among the three defendants charged in Herren's death.