What happened to Garrison Brown from ‘Sister Wives?’

Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. Please read with caution.

Sister Wives fans were shocked and saddened to learn that Garrison Brown was found dead in his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on March 5, 2024 at the age of 25. Garrison’s mother and father, Janelle and Kody Brown, divorced the previous year and all three appeared in the unscripted series on TLC.

Following Brown’s polygamist lifestyle, Sister Wives premiered in 2010 when Garrison was just a kid. Garrison’s mom, Janelle, is Kody’s “second wife.” Kody and Janelle had six children together, along with many other children Kody had with his other wives, Meri, Christine, and Robyn. When season 18 ended, Meri, Christine, and Janelle divorced Kody, leaving Robyn the only “legal and spiritual” wife in the family.

According to Variety, Janelle spoke openly about the strained relationship between Kody and his children, including Garrison, who “just seems angry or sadder, like, he’s not as happy-go-lucky as he used to be,” Janelle said. Acknowledging the feud, Kody added, “Right now, there’s not really an open door with Gabe [another son with Janelle] and Garrison. They’re they’re not willing to engage me.”

Garrison Brown’s final text and Instagram photo

In the days leading up to Garrison Brown’s death, Janelle worried about his well-being based on a text message. According to TMZ, Garrison texted a group of people, possibly linked to Sister Wives, “I want to hate you for sharing the good times. But I can’t. I miss these days.” Janelle said she checked on her son and they had a conversation, but before long, Garrison stopped responding.

A few days before he died, Garrison shared an Instagram photo of himself with a cat he adopted, giving no indication that anything was wrong. “Newest edition to my home, Ms Buttons. She’s 9 years old and was on the line for euthanasia but my savior complex couldn’t suffice. #crazycatlady,” the caption read.

What was Garrison Brown’s cause of death?

According to Flagstaff police, Garrison Brown, a National Guardsman, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following his death, Janelle and Kody Brown shared the same message on their social media accounts:

“Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown. He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory.”

Concerned about Garrison based on his sad-sounding texts, Janelle asked his brother, Gabe, to check on him, and Gabe found his body on Tuesday, March 5. It’s believed that Garrison died by suicide the night before. There was no sign of foul play.

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