Burnsville-Hopkins Brown family killings: sister recounts couple's separation and daycare parent's rescue
On August 12, 2026, police said a Burnsville homicide was linked to a separate deadly incident at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins that left four family members dead.[1]
The Hennepin County medical examiner identified the four as Nathan Matthew Brown, Kristen Ann Brown, their 7-year-old daughter Evie Ann Brown and 78-year-old Alice Anne Brown.[2] Hopkins investigators say Nathan Brown stabbed his wife and their daughter and then died of a self-inflicted gunshot, and Burnsville police found Alice Brown dead inside a Maple Island Road home.[3]
Kristen's sister said the couple separated in April, that Nathan had moved into Alice Brown's Burnsville home months before the killings, and that Kristen planned to close her daycare to pursue a master's degree.[4] A parent at the daycare pulled children out and called 911 as the attack unfolded, and six other children were removed safely.[3] A search warrant and witness account said a parent entered through a back door, heard children scream and saw the man stab Kristen with a screwdriver.[5] Investigators later found the attacker's body in an upstairs closet with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot and seized a screwdriver, notes, electronics and security cameras as evidence.[2]
Initial reporting noted no prior domestic-violence complaints involving the couple in public records.[6] Later coverage, drawing on court documents and a sister's interview, added that Kristen had circulated a newsletter saying she would close the daycare because of relationship issues and that family members had been uneasy about Nathan's behavior.[5][4]
Show source details & analysis (9 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On August 12, 2026, Burnsville police said a homicide on Maple Island Road and Joplin Avenue was connected to a separate deadly incident earlier that day at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins.
- The Hennepin County medical examiner formally identified the four deceased as Nathan Matthew Brown (41), Kristen Ann Brown (41), Evie Ann Brown (7) and Alice Anne Brown (78) and confirmed the Burnsville killing of Alice Brown is linked to the Hopkins daycare deaths (identifications reported August 14, 2026) — medical examiner.
- Hopkins investigators say the man found dead at the daycare was the apparent perpetrator who stabbed his wife and daughter and then died of a self-inflicted gunshot; officials described the victims’ causes of death as two stabbings and a self-inflicted gunshot (agency briefing August 12, 2026) — Hopkins investigators.
- A search warrant and witness account describe a parent entering through a back door, hearing children scream and seeing Nathan Brown stab Kristen with a screwdriver and then stab his daughter; the warrant also notes the daycare owner had circulated a newsletter saying she would close because of relationship issues (reported August 13, 2026) — search warrant.
- Investigators found the man’s body in an upstairs closet with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, recovered a screwdriver at the scene and are seizing notes, electronics and security cameras as evidence to probe possible premeditation (scene details reported August 14, 2026) — screwdriver.
- Family context reported by relatives: Kristen had separated from Nathan in April, planned to close Brown Bear Childcare to pursue a master’s degree, and Nathan had moved into Alice Brown’s Burnsville home months before the killings (sister interview published August 17, 2026).
- A daycare parent is credited with pulling children out and calling 911 during the attack, helping ensure six other children were not physically harmed; residents set up a memorial outside the daycare and the family released a written statement asking for privacy as Hopkins officials planned a vigil — memorial outside Brown Bear Daycare.
- Authorities say there were no prior domestic-violence reports involving the couple in public records despite reported relationship problems, and advocates (including data cited from [Violence Free Minnesota]) warned abusive behavior often goes unreported — reporting published August 13, 2026) — Violence Free Minnesota.
📰 Source Timeline (9)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
August 17, 2026
11:40 PM
'One of the best sisters you could ask for': Sister of Hopkins daycare victim speaks out
New information:
- Kristen’s sister publicly confirms the couple’s separation in April and that Nathan had moved into Alice Brown’s Burnsville home months before the killings.
- She says she had been uneasy about Nathan’s behavior after the separation and privately feared he might do "something horrible," though she didn’t want to push Kristen too hard.
- The article gives new humanizing details about Evie, portraying her as a "living Fancy Nancy" enamored with jewelry and fancy dresses, and emphasizes how central Evie was to Kristen’s life.
- Paulson stresses that Alice Brown was "kind, soft-spoken, sweet" and should be remembered as a victim who was loved by Kristen’s side of the family.
- Specific acknowledgement that Kristen had already made plans to close Brown Bear Childcare and pursue a master’s degree in speech pathology, underscoring this was a transition period for the family.
- New framing of the daycare parent as a "hero" who saved multiple children by pulling them out and calling 911 as the attack unfolded.
- Reiterates vigil timing and the family’s public request for privacy, while highlighting community support.
- Lists domestic-violence crisis resources (Minnesota Day One, Women’s Advocates, National DV Hotline), which were not as prominently tied into earlier straight-news pieces.
August 15, 2026
10:25 PM
Family mourns Hopkins daycare victims after deadly violence
New information:
- Family members released a joint written statement via Hopkins Police calling the deaths a 'tremendous loss and tragedy' and asking for time and privacy to grieve.
- The statement explicitly extends the family's thoughts and prayers to Brown Bear Daycare children and families, describing them as loved and 'considered family.'
- FOX 9 cites a friend and court documents to say Kristen was attempting to close the daycare to escape the relationship, and that she had to close because Nathan owned the house.
- Officials confirm the City of Hopkins will hold a vigil Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Downtown Park to honor Kristen and Evie.
August 14, 2026
8:38 PM
Hopkins daycare deaths: Victims, alleged perpetrator ID’d by medical examiner
New information:
- Formal identification of all four deceased as members of the Brown family: Nathan Matthew, Kristen Ann, Evie Ann (7), and Alice Anne (78).
- Explicit confirmation from the medical examiner of the link between the Burnsville killing of Alice Brown and the Hopkins daycare murders.
- Detailed witness account from the search warrant about hearing children scream, entering through the back door, and seeing Nathan Brown stabbing Kristen with a screwdriver, then his daughter.
- Precise scene description: Kristen and Evie found dead on the kitchen floor, Nathan located dead in an upstairs closet of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and a screwdriver recovered as evidence.
- The newsletter about closing the daycare due to ‘relationship issues’ with Nathan is tied more clearly to the timeline immediately preceding the homicides.
2:55 AM
Hopkins daycare murder-suicide: No domestic violence record, but experts say abuse often goes unseen
New information:
- Investigators say they have found no previous domestic-violence reports involving the couple despite known relationship problems.
- Court records show the husband’s name appears only twice in Hennepin County, for minor infractions (fishing and operating a snowmobile without a permit).
- Daycare inspection records for the wife’s in-home operation showed no violations or prior concerns.
- The search warrant notes the wife intended to close the daycare due to relationship issues with her husband, suggesting escalating private conflict before the killings.
- Violence Free Minnesota’s data and analysis are introduced to explain how often domestic abuse remains off the books until a homicide occurs.
August 13, 2026
4:57 PM
Hopkins daycare deaths: Court docs reveal what unfolded inside the home
New information:
- A search warrant spells out that a parent physically witnessed the man stabbing the woman with a screwdriver and then stabbing his daughter.
- The witness account specifies entry via the back door, children screaming, and the suspect "on top" of the woman during the attack.
- The daycare owner had recently circulated a newsletter announcing she would close the daycare due to relationship issues with the man, according to the witness.
- The man’s body was located in an upstairs closet with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, a detail now coming directly from the warrant rather than generic police statements.
- The warrant’s evidence list confirms investigators are pulling not just the obvious weapons but also notes, electronics and security cameras, suggesting they’re probing premeditation and prior behavior.
4:39 PM
Hopkins daycare deaths: Memorial honoring victims setup outside daycare
New information:
- Residents and mourners have created a memorial outside Brown Bear Daycare the morning after the killings.
- Visual specifics of the memorial (flowers, candles, stuffed animals on a stone garden pond) are documented.
- Hopkins’ mayor publicly indicates the city is preparing a vigil for the victims, signaling an organized civic response.
August 12, 2026
9:38 PM
Hopkins daycare deaths, Burnsville homicide involved the same family, authorities say
New information:
- Burnsville Police Chief specifies the 78-year-old homicide victim is a "close family relative" of the Hopkins suspect and that he had recently lived in her Maple Island Road home.
- Hopkins chief gives precise victim ages (41-year-old woman, 7-year-old girl, 41-year-old man) and cause of death (two stabbings and a self-inflicted gunshot).
- Confirms explicitly that the suspect is the father of the 7-year-old and the husband of the 41-year-old woman, and that all four deaths stem from one family.
- Describes how a family dropping off children at the daycare witnessed the attack, called police and provided identifying details that tied the suspect to both scenes.
- Reaffirms that six other children present in the daycare were not physically harmed and were removed safely.
- Police restate there is no active threat to the public now that the suspect is confirmed dead.
8:53 PM
Burnsville homicide connected to Hopkins daycare deaths, police say
New information:
- Burnsville police now say the homicide on Maple Island Road and Joplin Avenue is connected to the triple fatality, including a child, at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins earlier the same day.
- The Burnsville victim is identified as an adult female found dead inside the residence after a reported stabbing around 12:23 p.m.
- Burnsville police leadership will join Hopkins police at a 4 p.m. joint news conference to provide more details on both incidents.
- Hopkins investigators preliminarily believe the deceased man at the daycare was the perpetrator who killed a woman and child family members and then took his own life.