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 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 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.’

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.

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.

On Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson harshly criticized Democrats over lax election security measures following incidents in Michigan where non-citizens faced charges for illegal voting. He warned this trend potentially threatens the fairness and integrity of elections across the United States.

“From New Jersey to Michigan, mounting evidence shows that illegal aliens are registering to VOTE in American elections,” Johnson declared in a post on platform X.

Accusing Democrats of intentionally allowing vulnerabilities, Johnson argued, “Democrats understand this phenomenon — which is why they push for OPEN BORDERS and OPPOSE voter ID requirements,” before describing the situation as a “clear and present danger to the integrity of our elections — and our Republic.”

Johnson concluded by asserting, “All Americans deserve secure elections, and it is Republicans who are committed to fighting to guarantee that security.”

Johnson’s remarks came as five non-U.S. citizens who allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential election — along with a U.S. citizen accused of registering her non-citizen husband — were charged with election crimes, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.

The charges follow a state review of 38 suspected cases of non-citizen voting or related conduct from 2009 to 2025.

Of those cases, six resulted in criminal charges, 10 were closed without charges and 22 remain under active review.

“In my office, we’ve always taken election crimes seriously, and prosecute attacks on our voting systems to the fullest extent of the law,” Nessel said in a statement. “We’re upholding election integrity by investigating all claims of non-citizen voters, as rare as they are, and holding bad actors accountable when they refuse to abide by the laws that keep our elections safe and secure.”

More than 5.7 million ballots were cast in Michigan during the November 2024 general election.

State officials have said illegal voting by noncitizens remains extremely rare.

The charges come as President Donald Trump’s administration has made preventing illegal voting a priority.

He signed executive orders in March 2025 and March 2026 to strengthen citizenship verification for federal elections and directing agencies to give states greater access to citizenship and immigration data.

Trump’s administration has also backed legislation requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Nessel’s announcement included Robert Piva, 67, of Roseville, a permanent resident who is charged with election law perjury, which is a five-year felony; attempting to vote unqualified, which carries a four-year felony; and fraudulent registration, a 90-day misdemeanor.

He allegedly voted early in October 2024. Piva claimed his vote was an “experiment” concerning voter fraud.

Michael Akioya, 39, of Oak Park, also a permanent resident, has been charged with two 90-day misdemeanors for allegedly making false statements on an absentee voter application and ballot envelope during the 2024 election.

Alondra Harker, 26, of Three Rivers, is a limited-term alien resident charged with misdemeanor fraudulent registration, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, for allegedly registering and voting in person in 2024. 

Harumi Michael, 60, who lives in Wolverine Lake, is a permanent resident who faces three felonies — two counts of election forgery and one count of attempting to vote unqualified — plus one misdemeanor for allegedly registering and voting in Commerce Township.

Basanth Sadasivian, 29, is a non-citizen living in the United Kingdom who is charged with felony attempting to vote unqualified, punishable by up to four years in prison, for allegedly registering and voting in 2024 through the Federal Post Card Application system using a Bloomfield Hills address.

And Kimberley DiDonato, 60, of Rose Township, is a U.S. citizen charged with election forgery, a five-year felony, and computer crime, a seven-year felony, after allegedly posing as her non-citizen husband to register him online.

Authorities said DiDonato claimed she wanted to test system vulnerabilities before asking to cancel the registration.

Nessel’s office declined to charge four referred people after determining that two were U.S. citizens, one was an American citizen through an international adoption and another was a federally recognized American Indian born in Canada.

Six additional cases were closed without charges because of a lack of evidence of criminal intent or potential registration errors.

Nessel also said delays in federal cooperation affected the timeline of the state’s investigations.

“While the question of whether any given resident is a citizen may feel simple, some cases are nuanced in unexpected ways,” Nessel said.

“The federal government has not always provided easy or open access to certain necessary citizenship records, and so our investigators had to spend considerable time and effort coaxing cooperation from the federal agencies.”

In an exclusive revelation, Carly Simon provides a heartfelt glimpse into the effects her divorce from James Taylor had on their children, Sally and Ben, through an emotional new track, as reported by Page Six.

Titled “Comes in Waves,” Simon’s eagerly anticipated new album, which releases this Friday, includes “Mother of Pearl” as its fifth track, offering deep insights through its lyrics.

Simon poignantly sings, “I can see you at 7, a child of divorce. How can it be that we gave you no choice? / It was your job and Ben’s to drown out all the noise,” touching on the childhood challenges her children faced.

She further acknowledges her daughter Sally’s remarkable resilience during those challenging times.

In her lyrics, Simon praises her daughter, singing, “But my girl, oh my girl. / Even then you were shining, you were my mother of pearl.”

The song begins with Simon calling out her daughter by name. (She was born Sarah Maria Taylor, but goes by the nickname Sally.

“Sally, oh, Sarah, another song with your name,” she sings. “You’ve gone around the roses, a mustang became. / A boat in the harbor that’s called Sally Mae. / And oh girl, my girl, to me you’re my goddess, you’re my mother of pearl.”

Simon sweetly describes Sally’s Capricorn tendencies, calling her “stubborn” and “not sure when to care.”

“But when I been flat on my back, you’re still there,” she sings. “And oh girl, oh my girl, to me, you’re my best friend, my mother of pearl.”

The “You’re So Vain” singer married Taylor in 1972, but the pair divorced in 1983 amid his addiction issues and infidelity on both sides. They welcomed Sally, 52, and Ben, 49, in 1974 and 1977, respectively.

In the new album’s second track, “Maybe I Never Loved You,” Simon seemingly takes a brutal swipe at her estranged ex-husband, though she never mentions him by name.

“Maybe I never loved you / But anyway, I thought I did,” Simon sings in the song. “I married you, we had a kid / That counts for something.”

“Maybe I never loved you / Yes, and maybe I did,” she adds. “And maybe you never loved me / Although God knows, you said you did.”

The tune ends with Simon voicing her desire to make amends with Taylor and continues to question whether there was love between them.

“And maybe it’s best to bury whatever it was we had our fill of,” she sings. “Maybe I never loved you / Maybe I always will.”

The Grammy-winning artist previously shared that she still loves James despite not being on speaking terms.

“I still want to heal him, I still want to make him all right,” she told People in 2015. “And I love him so much.”

Simon also admitted that she did not know why Taylor would not speak with her.

That same year, the singer-songwriter wrote a tell-all memoir, “Boys in the Trees,” in which she described their marriage as “far from the idyllic one that the general public reads about.”

Simon has since moved on with longtime partner Richard Koehler. She was also married to James Hart from 1987 to 2007.

Outside of her long-term relationships, she was linked to several famous men, including Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens and Warren Beatty — the latter of whom is the subject of her brutal 1972 hit, “You’re So Vain.”

Simon’s new album — her first collection of original songs in 18 years — features 12 powerful songs, which she wrote and recorded from her home in Martha’s Vineyard in collaboration with her two children.

The musician revealed last month that she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and skin cancer.

“Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape,” she wrote in a statement in July, referring to her new album. “It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life.”

“Comes in Waves” releases this Friday.

DiJonai Carrington, a standout player for the Chicago Sky, finds herself embroiled in controversy yet again following an incident where she had a fan removed from the arena during a recent game. Her grievance, however, was later deemed unfounded.

The incident took place during the final quarter of a matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday. Carrington approached the officials, raising concerns about the conduct of a fan in the courtside seats.

Following her complaint, security escorted the fan from their seat, only for them to return to the game shortly afterward.

‘The fan was cooperative after a complaint that was unfounded,’ a Valkyries spokesperson shared with ClutchPoints.

A statement from the Chicago Sky to ClutchPoints confirmed the fan received a warning but declined to provide further details on the matter.

Officials chatted to Sky head coach Tyler Marsh before Carrington spoke with referees and a Chicago staff member, likely to tell them what the fan said.

That same Chicago staffer spoke briefly to the fan, who was later seen laughing on camera with the woman sitting beside him. 

‘So, there is a stoppage right now as Chicago’s team security has stepped out along with arena security representatives,’ a commentator on the USA Network broadcast said. ‘Carrington went over to one of the officials, as you see Sarah Williams there, to say something.’

The co-commentator on the broadcast said, ‘I don’t know what was or wasn’t said. I will say respect for the players is something, especially right now, that is being taken very seriously from everybody around the league, as it should be.’

Play resumed as security escorted the fan away from his seat. Eventually, he was seen back in his spot.

Carrington finished the game with just three points and three rebounds in 24 minutes of a 91-71 loss.

Also during the game, Carrington came under fire from fans after she committed more brutal fouls just days after her vicious collision with Sophie Cunningham.

Carrington was first seen appearing to poke Cecilia Zandalasini in the eye as she tried to block a pass.

It was a move eerily similar to the one Carrington pulled on Caitlin Clark in 2024 that left the Indiana Fever star with a black eye.

But then, moments later, Tiffany Hayes was driving to the basket and Carrington had her arms in the air.

But as Hayes dribbled past her, Carrington lowered her right arm straight into the face of her oncoming opponent. She was nowhere near the ball and her arm caught Hayes straight in the face.

The Sky guard recently sparked a firestorm after her ejection due to a hard foul on Indiana Fever guard Cunningham last Saturday. After she got tossed, Carrington posted to her Threads account and simply said: ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever.’

It’s not clear what Carrington was referring to, especially after she responded to a clip from the ‘Speakeasy’ podcast with former NFL player Emmanuel Acho saying she ‘never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege.’

She added, ‘I would never use that term as a rhetorical weapon knowing the historical and social weight it holds without having the proper evidence to substantiate it.’ 

Carrington claimed her vicious foul on Cunningham was ‘unfortunate’ and ‘never intentional’ when she returned to the court Monday night.

Speaking after she scored a career-high 26 points in the 97-88 loss to Seattle, Carrington said of the foul: ‘It was unfortunate that I made contact with her in the way that I did, but it was never intentional.

‘And, look, it might happen again. That’s just how I play. I’m gonna always go all out.

‘I’m not gonna just let an open layup happen. But like I said, I’m never intending to hurt anybody, regardless of the outside noise or whatever the situation may be.’

When asked whether Cunningham should have been penalized for her angry reaction to the foul, Carrington continued: ‘I would just love consistency across the board when it comes to things like that.

‘Whether it’s the foul that I commit, whether it’s the reaction or retaliation, I would just love for it to be consistent across the board, regardless of the name on your jersey or your skin color or the score of the game, whatever.

‘I don’t think we’re there yet. That’s something that I’ve talked to the league about, as well. I think that will eliminate a lot of frustrations we all have.’

The Fever and the Sky will play again on August 23.

Authorities report a fatal conclusion to a standoff in Oakland when an armed man disregarded multiple directives to discard his weapons and rushed at the police officers.

Caught on intense footage were the moments before the demise of 43-year-old Jose Angel Castillo. The authorities say Castillo brandished two impromptu spears when first confronted by officers near a homeless encampment at the intersection of 40th Avenue and International Boulevard, KTVU reports.

The footage details officers in pursuit of Castillo, commanding him repeatedly to relinquish his weapons until shots rang out.

The tragic event took place shortly after 2 p.m. on July 13 when the Oakland Police Department (OPD) was called for backup by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), according to police reports.

Video of the ordeal begins with a request for backup as an officer reports being with a man armed with two knives and behaving aggressively. As police confront him, officers can be heard ordering him to drop multiple objects, including what one officer identifies as a hammer, offering an early glimpse at the array of weapons involved in the encounter.

“We’re out with the subject holding two knives, being aggressive,” an officer can be heard telling dispatch.

The footage then captures officers repeatedly ordering the man to drop what he is holding as the confrontation escalates.

“Drop that,” one officer says. “Drop that too.”

Moments later, an officer tells the man he is being detained and orders him to put the weapons down.

“You need to drop those right now. We’re the police, man,” the officer says.

As the encounter intensifies, an officer radios that they have a “subject holding two knives” while another can be heard shouting, “Drop the knife!”

At one point, an officer announces that he has a Taser ready.

The man can later be heard repeatedly demanding, “What are you doing to me?” and asking, “What have I done?”

The standoff continues as officers again command the man to stop and drop the weapons.

“Stop right there,” an officer repeatedly yells. “Drop the knife.”

Another series of commands follows: “Drop the knives. Drop the knives!”

The man can be heard responding, “No! No! Leave me alone!”

The confrontation then erupts in gunfire. Immediately afterward, an officer radios, “Shots fired, shots fired!” as police order the man not to move.

OPD said officers encountered an armed individual and issued commands for him to comply.

According to police, the man refused those commands and lunged at officers with a weapon. Officers responded with both less-lethal and lethal force, OPD said.

Castillo was struck by gunfire, and officers immediately attempted life-saving measures, but he died at the scene, according to police.

Police initially said multiple weapons were recovered following the deadly confrontation. The video appears to show the man carrying more than one weapon, with officers referring to two knives and a hammer during the encounter. Police later confirmed Castillo was armed with “bladed weapons” when officers encountered him.

No officers or bystanders were physically injured during the incident.

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The officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy, OPD said.

The shooting has also drawn scrutiny from civil rights attorney Jim Chanin, who monitors the Oakland Police Department and told KTVU he had concerns about aspects of the officers’ use of force.

“Did it justify deadly force? There are lots of people who are threats, the question is, does it – what kind of force is justified?” Chanin told the outlet.

The shooting has now triggered multiple investigations. OPD said it is conducting both criminal and administrative investigations into the officers’ use of force, while the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a separate independent investigation.

Oakland’s Community Police Review Agency has also been notified.

“The Department remains committed to transparency and will provide further updates as they become available and as appropriate under law,” OPD said.

Police said additional information is being withheld for now to protect the integrity of the investigation.

News Media reached out to OPD to ask whether the officers remain on leave, for a response to criticism of the shooting and for any additional context surrounding the encounter.

Aaron Donald might be edging closer to rejoining the Los Angeles Rams. However, if he does make his return, it’s clear that he won’t settle for anything less than a full-fledged role.

While delving into insights on The Athletic Football Show, Robert Mays revealed a pressing question lingering after his visit to the Rams’ training camp. He was curious about the team’s plans for utilizing the formidable Donald if the three-time Defensive Player of the Year decides to end his retirement.

Mays indicated that the Rams have floated the notion of integrating Donald as merely “one of the five guys” in their defensive-line rotation. Unsurprisingly, this proposal did not sit well with the veteran player.

“He essentially stared through their souls after they said that to him,” Mays recounted. “So I don’t anticipate him coming back to be some bit rotational player. I think if he’s going to come back, he thinks he can be Aaron Donald.”

This development suggests that Donald’s potential comeback is shaping up to be far more complex—and significantly more intriguing—than just designating 25 snaps for a legendary figure in the Rams’ franchise history.

The Rams have reportedly considered a workload of roughly 30 to 40 snaps for Donald early in the season, but his recent work suggests he is not approaching a comeback casually. Sean McVay jokingly called Donald’s official workout with Los Angeles “the best tryout that we’ve ever had,” while Rams defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson recently said Donald looked “a little bit faster” during training.

If Donald expects a substantial role, someone else’s workload will have to change.

Kobie Turner played more than 75 percent of the Rams’ defensive snaps last season, while Braden Fiske was on the field for roughly 53 percent. Fiske has already said he would view Donald’s return as an opportunity to learn rather than worry about losing playing time.

The likeliest outcome may be fewer snaps across the board rather than one player disappearing from the rotation. Turner could remain the interior anchor, while Fiske shifts into a more specialized pass-rush role that keeps both players fresher deeper into games.

And then there is Myles Garrett.

The Rams already transformed their front by acquiring the reigning Defensive Player of the Year from Cleveland, and Donald’s return could change the geometry of the entire defense.

Trent McDuffie recently said he asked Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford how an offense would even protect against Garrett and Donald on the same front. Their answer, according to McDuffie, was essentially that there is no clean solution.

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Slide protection toward Garrett and Donald could be isolated inside. Devote extra help to Donald and Garrett, Turner or Fiske could find favorable matchups elsewhere.

That depth could also give Chris Shula more freedom to use five-man fronts and specialize roles. Turner would no longer have to shoulder such a heavy every-down workload, while Fiske — who generated 38 pressures on a lower snap share last season — could become an even more dangerous situational rusher.

Donald still has to decide whether he actually wants to play football again, with his potential comeback remaining unresolved entering this week.

But if Mays’ account is any indication, the question may no longer be whether Donald can fit into the Rams’ existing defensive-line rotation.

The Rams will have to reshape the rotation around him.

Christy Knowings, recognized for her role in the hit series All That, passed away at 46 after an asthma attack resulted in severe brain injuries.

According to TMZ, Knowings was admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles last Friday and placed on life support. Her family made the difficult decision to withdraw life support, and she succumbed on Tuesday evening.

The beloved Nickelodeon personality graced the screens on All That from 1997 to 2000, embodying a range of roles including Penny Lane and Jessica in the popular Whateverrr!!! sketch alongside Amanda Bynes.

She also made memorable appearances on Sesame Street, sharing the screen with her twin brother, Chris Knowings, across three episodes.

In a heartfelt statement to The Daily Mail, her representative noted, “Christy was an extraordinary talent, a creative force in singing, acting, and dancing. Her professionalism and dedication were unmatched.”

In the wake of her death, her former co-star Kenan Thompson, 48, paid an emotional tribute on Instagram, writing: ‘Man this one hit hard!!! Rest well Christy!!! Never could have imagined this day!!

‘Sending so much love to her family!! She was a real one and one of the funniest people out here!!! Gonna miss you buddy!!! Show @christyknowings some love y’all!!!  

In a 2019 interview with Bustle, Knowings reflected on her time on the show as a teen, saying: ‘My favorite moment on set was when I started to do this character in Season 6 named Gloria Bankhead. She was an over-the-top Martha Stewart.

‘I had never played any character like her! I just remember being on set and being her all-day long. Everybody loved it! 

‘The writers, the stage managers, everybody was just like, “Hi Gloria!” Gloria Bankhead was my favorite character to play. 

‘She was on set like that all the time. It was fun to just be in character like that, even when the cameras weren’t rolling. It’s what I’d do constantly.’

Knowings’ death comes seven months after the passing of her All That co-star Kianna Underwood, 33, in a hit-and-run collision in Brooklyn in January.  

The former child star got her big break on the infamous Nickelodeon sketch comedy series. 

She appeared in All That for seven episodes in 2004 and 2005, according to her IMDB page. 

The show produced several stars, including longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Kenan Thompson and Bynes. 

Underwood replaced Jamie Lynn Spears on the sketch comedy series for its tenth and last season. 

She also appeared in the film The 24 Hour Woman, starring Patti LuPone, and voiced a character in the animated movie Santa Baby!. 

The young actress also dabbled in stage production, touring with the musical Hairspray. 

Underwood didn’t continue acting as an adult and seemed to be living in New York City at the time of her death.