Minnesota Man Kills His Wife and Daughter at a Daycare After Killing Another Relative

A Daycare Became the Scene of a Family Killing

A Minnesota man killed his wife and their 7-year-old daughter at the in-home daycare the family operated in Hopkins, police said, while six other children were inside.

Authorities said the 41-year-old man attacked his wife and daughter on Aug. 12 before dying by suicide. Investigators also believe he had earlier killed a 78-year-old relative at a home in nearby Burnsville.

The wife was later identified as Kristen Brown, 41, and the couple’s daughter as Evie Brown, according to a search warrant obtained by The Associated Press.

For families who used Brown Bear Childcare, the violence struck inside a place built around trust.

A Parent Arriving for Daycare Called Police

A father dropping off two children heard screams coming from the basement and entered the home, according to police records described by AP.

Authorities said the parent initially believed Nathan Brown was trying to help someone before realizing an attack was underway.

He called 911 and fled with his own two children and two others. Six children were inside the daycare at the time, and police said none of them was physically harmed.

Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnson acknowledged the fear inherent in what happened: parents had brought children somewhere they believed was safe and were then confronted with an unthinkable emergency.

Kristen Brown Had Built Her Work Around Children

Brown Bear Childcare had been licensed by Minnesota since 2019 and had capacity for 10 children.

State records showed the daycare had been found in compliance during visits in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

AP reported that Kristen Brown held a bachelor’s degree in elementary education foundations and incorporated activities such as music, cooking classes and field trips into the daycare program.

She opened Brown Bear Childcare only months after Evie was born.

That detail gives the loss a particular weight: the mother and daughter died inside a childcare setting that Kristen had built while raising her own child.

Police Believe Another Relative Was Killed Earlier

More than three hours after police responded in Hopkins, officers in Burnsville were called to another residence about 20 miles away.

There, they found a 78-year-old woman dead.

Investigators said Nathan Brown had recently been staying at that home and believe the Burnsville killing was connected to the deaths in Hopkins. Authorities initially withheld the woman’s identity and exact relationship to him.

Police said they had not identified a clear motive.

A search warrant stated that Kristen Brown had recently told daycare parents the business would soon close because of relationship issues with Nathan.

That information is part of the investigation but does not establish what caused the killings.

A Trusted Place Is Left With a Different Meaning

Police said there was no known history of calls involving violence at the Hopkins home.

Neighbors described the residence as familiar partly because of the colorful mural painted on its garage.

After the killings, that same home was surrounded by officers and crime-scene tape.

Johnson said cases like this are rare in Hopkins and described the emotional toll on responding officers.

For the families connected to Brown Bear Childcare, however, the deepest impact is likely to be personal.

Children were taken to that home because adults trusted the people caring for them and the environment around them.

Six survived physically unharmed, but a mother, her young daughter and another relative were killed.

Police continue working to establish the precise timeline and understand what led to the violence.

For a community accustomed to seeing the house as a place for children to learn and play, the tragedy has left a painful new memory in its place.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

References: Minnesota man killed wife and daughter at their in-home daycare, police say | Families of Hopkins daycare double murder-suicide victims release statement

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