In a heartbreaking turn of events, details have surfaced about a Minnesota mother, Kristen Ann Brown, who was tragically murdered by her husband as she prepared to escape their tumultuous marriage, a close friend disclosed.
Kristen, aged 41 and known for her dedication to her daughter and her work, ran the Brown Bear Childcare center from their Hopkins home, located about 10 miles from the bustling city of Minneapolis.
On a fateful Wednesday morning around 9am, a grisly discovery was made: Kristen and her seven-year-old daughter, Evie Ann Brown, were both found dead from stab wounds. Her husband, Nathan Brown, had died by his own hand, using a gun, inside the daycare facility.
Nathan, who owned a landscaping business in the Minneapolis region, inflicted this horrific event within sight of six other children, police reports reveal. The connection between the victims was confirmed by Kristen’s sister, Kelly Jo Simons, speaking to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
A concerned friend, who had entrusted her child to Kristen’s care for six years, noted signs that something was amiss within the family, hinting at possible abuse, as reported by FOX9.
Kristen sent a text to the friend around 8.45am on Wednesday, explaining that ‘things were crazy’ and adding that Brown Bear would be closed as of August 27, per the report.
That was because the home it operated out of was owned by her husband Nathan, and she was planning to leave him imminently. Because of that, Kristen would no longer be able to keep the daycare’s operations running as normal.
On Thursday, it was revealed that Brown had also killed his 78-year-old mother, Alice Anne Brown, in her Burnsville home. He is believed to have been living with her at the time, according to Burnsville police.
Kristen Ann Brown, 41, ran the Brown Bear Childcare center in Hopkins. She, her husband Nathan and their daughter Evie, 7, were found dead inside the daycare on Wednesday
Police said Wednesday that they believed her husband, who was identified as 41-year-old landscaper Nathan Brown, had carried out the apparent murder-suicide
Hopkins police chief Brent Johnson said authorities learned about what transpired after one of the daycare’s parents arrived to drop off their children (Photo of the inside of the daycare)
Kristen was a mom-of-one who told her friends and clients that she realized ‘early on’ that she loved working with children and watching them grow.
After having her own daughter in 2019, Kristen became convinced that the time was right to focus on childcare – and she opened Brown Bear Childcare from their home.
She wrote at the time: ‘I plan to take all the skills that I have learned in my journey and use them help my daughter and those children (who will hopefully become life-long friends) blossom into happy, intelligent, caring individuals.’
As well as opening the daycare where she looked after six kids a day, Kristen helped raise money for children’s hospitals and frequently posted lovingly about her own daughter.
Johnson said law enforcement had learned about the deaths after one of the daycare’s parents arrived to drop off their children.
When asked if the parent had seen what happened, Johnson said: ‘I believe so.’
Kristen, originally from Miller, South Dakota, said she had graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education foundations.
Kristen said she began babysitting when she was 10, which she did every weekend until she was 14. She also worked in her mother’s family childcare center when she turned 12.
‘No matter what other jobs I held, I always wound up back working with kids,’ Kristen wrote.
The generous mother noted that she had her own ‘home daycare’ in South Dakota, but that she had been working as a certified optometric vision therapist in the four years before starting the Brown Bear daycare.
‘In October 2018, I had my own child,’ Kristen wrote. ‘As much as I loved my previous positions, I believe that it is time to return to child care so that I can be home with her.’
Kristen previously shared that she started the Brown Bear Childcare center after having her own daughter in October 2018
On Facebook, Kristen had written that she wanted to see the children in her care ‘blossom into happy, intelligent, caring individuals’
Kristen explained that children at her daycare learned ‘through organized activities as well as play.’
‘As the child grows, we work on language, motor skills, encouraging curiosity and problem solving,’ she posted.
She also said the daycare also offered weekly music and cooking classes, as well as quarterly field trips, in order to ‘provide a well-rounded experience’ for the kids.
That October, the daycare posted about a ‘fabulous day filled with fun, family and friends’ at the Fall Harvest Orchard, alongside pictures of several children smiling and playing.
‘We picked apples, fed animals, played on all sorts of games and rides and, of course, the long awaited corn pit!’ the post said.
Other lighthearted days organized by the daycare included ‘Unicorn Day’ or ‘Rainbow Day.’
A significant police presence was seen in the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North after the incident
Kristen’s tight bond with the children who had passed through the doors of her home was evident in a post from that year.
‘I have taken care of these kiddos since they were little babies,’ she wrote, alongside group shots of the children in graduation caps.
‘They have grown to be so smart, funny, kind, and wonderful kiddos and I know they will do great in their next adventures,’ Kristen wrote.
‘We will miss them and I will always have a place in my heart for them,’ she continued.
One of the photos showed Kristen on her knees while four children went to go hug her.
Fewer details were known about her husband, Nathan, who did not appear to be involved in the daycare’s public presence.
A public social media profile said that he was from Saint Louis Park, which is about seven miles north of Hopkins.
He appeared to run his own business, called Nathan’s Outdoor Services.
A website for the company said Nathan offered ‘professional’ lawn care, landscaping and snow removal.
Hopkins police said they were still working on determining what weapon had been used in Wednesday’s killings
The children inside the daycare were safely evacuated without injuries following the murder-suicide
All of the children inside the Brown Bear daycare were evacuated safely and without injury after the murder-suicide on Wednesday, according to police.
Parents were seen going in and out of the area around the daycare to reunite with their kids, KARE 11 reported.
At least one mother was escorted by firefighters, while other parents asked for privacy, according to the outlet.
Police said there was no immediate threat to the public and that an investigation is underway.
Authorities said during a press conference on Wednesday that they were working to determine what weapon was used in the killings.
A possible motive has not been disclosed so far.