A man identified as Nathan Brown, 41, is believed to have killed his wife Kristen Ann Brown, 41, their seven-year-old daughter Evie, and his mother Alice Anne Brown, 78, before dying by suicide on Wednesday in Hopkins, Minnesota.
The series of events began at Alice Brown's home in Burnsville, where she was found deceased. Nathan Brown then proceeded to the family's home in Hopkins, which housed the Brown Bear Childcare daycare operated by his wife in the basement.
At the daycare, Nathan Brown fatally stabbed Kristen Ann Brown and Evie with a screwdriver. Police were alerted around 9 a.m. when a parent dropping off children reported hearing screaming. The witness entered the daycare and observed Nathan Brown on top of his wife, initially appearing to administer aid before the witness saw the screwdriver and realized he was actively stabbing Kristen.
At least six children were present in the daycare during the attack. The witness quickly removed the children from the building and called 911. None of the children were physically harmed.
Authorities arrived to find Kristen Ann Brown and Evie deceased together, with Nathan Brown found dead nearby from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Initial investigations suggest the motive stemmed from marital problems.
Shortly before the killings, Kristen Ann Brown had sent a letter to parents informing them of the daycare's closure, citing "relationship issues" with her husband. A friend of Kristen's also indicated that there may have been ongoing abuse within the family.
Kristen Ann Brown, an educator, had opened Brown Bear Childcare to be home with her daughter after her birth in 2019. She had previously worked as a certified optometric vision therapist and had extensive experience working with children, having started babysitting at age 10 and later working in her mother's family childcare center.