Trigger Warning: This story is about suicide.
Sister Wives star Garrison Brown took his own life on Tuesday at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, leaving his parents Kody and Janelle Brown and his many siblings heartbroken. Kody and Janelle released a joint statement confirming Garrison’s death, but in the police report obtained by The Ashley, it is made clear that Kody and Garrison had, unfortunately, not mended their estrangement at the time of Garrison’s tragic death.
According to the police report from the Flagstaff Police Department, Janelle arrived on the scene Tuesday and told police that Garrison “is estranged from his father.” (Janelle’s son Gabriel— who was also estranged from Kody– did leave to go pick up his dad following the incident, according to the report. However, the report says “another family member” went to assist with that, and Gabe came back to the scene on his own. )
As ‘Sister Wives’ fans know, Garrison is the eighth of Kody’s 18 children. Janelle was Kody’s second wife up until last year, when she separated from him after decades of marriage (and six kids together.) Garrison had a strained relationship with Kody over the last few years, with some of their arguments playing out on the last few seasons of ‘Sister Wives.’
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It appeared that Garrison may have been struggling in regard to appearing on ‘Sister Wives.’
Janelle told police that Garrison had texted a group of people the Browns had worked with (assumingly the ‘Sister Wives’ production crew) and stated that “I want to hate you for sharing the good times. But I can’t. I miss these days.”
Janelle told police that the text alarmed her and she began to text Garrison outside of the group text. They texted back and forth but Garrison stopped replying around 8:40 p.m., so Janelle asked Gabe to check on Garrison the next morning.
Gabe told police that his brother had been “struggling with mental health concerns and alcohol abuse” recently, but Gabe believed Garrison was doing better because he had just started a new job at a medical center, and was going to school for nursing.
“Janelle also made the comment that she should have gotten Garrison help in the past as well,” the report states.
Garrison’s siblings have been mourning his loss via social media since yesterday. On Tuesday, Kody and Janelle posted about Garrison’s death on Instagram.
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“Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” they wrote. “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.”
Kody and Garrison had been estranged for years. On an episode of ‘Sister Wives’ that aired in October, Kody stated that he reached out to Garrison (and Gabe) but they had blocked him and “weren’t interested in talking” to him.
TLC– the network that airs ‘Sister Wives’ issued a statement to People about Garrison’s death.
“We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of Garrison Brown,” the network said. “We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Brown family at this difficult time.”
Neither TLC nor the Browns have indicated if they will continue to film ‘Sister Wives’ following Garrison’s passing.
RELATED STORY: ‘Sister Wives’ Tragedy: Garrison Brown— Son of Janelle & Kody Brown— Dead at Age 25 From Apparent Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound
(Photos: TLC; Instagram)
54 Responses
Where does Christine get off treating meri so poorly. Is it because of Leon or because she wanted Cody for a husband. I fear Meri is being treated bad like Garrison by her sister wife’s hope she gets help outside that family.
Two totally different issues. The military has many different means they offer for mental health. But Garrison needed to want the help or family any of them to get him to that help and I have not heard of any of that happening. The family must have seen what was happening. His roommates seemed to know. Why wasn’t the family told to get him the help he so desperately needed. It is sad. The whole life style the parents had which has exploded is the root of the evil. I pray they can change their ways and then forgive each other. I don’t believe in their lifestyle. I hope they turn to the real bible change forgive each other. Remember all of the wives made the choice to live the way they did which means to me they are all responsible for the end if there life styl.
It might just be me, but does anyone else think it’s gross that they are already talking about filming for the next season?
Making this a storyline is just very sad and a little bit sick in my opinion. He’s only been dead for two days, why are we talking about making this a story line?
I read that they are filming for another season and I find that sickening. It is so obvious that televising this completely dysfunctional family has brought nothing but pain to the kids. Is it any wonder that once they became adults most scattered. A 25 year old young man who’s father turned on him and said so many foul things about him, his siblings, his mother…and it is beyond time to pull the plug on this so called family. My heart goes out to Janelle and her children. I would hope she would insist on putting an end to Sister Wives. Hasn’t it brought enough pain to them?
SirPoopALot, I responded to you on the first post about Garrison.
I was sick to my stomach when I read that Gabe found Garrison. Poor Gabe is already wrecked emotionally and you could see during the one episode At Garrison’s new house when they were all sitting at the dining room table talking about Kody. Gabe just sat there and didn’t say anything. He looked traumatized and heartbroken. And now to add this, to have to live with that image in his mind everyday for the rest of his life…just horrendous!
My Love, Prayers and Strength are sent to Garrisons entire family…Blessings on his journey home.. Rest in Peace..
Maddie the biological child of Jenelle and Kody also. I wonder how she must feel considering her recent statements concerning her father not even knowing his grandchildren by her and her husband. Maddie was Garrison’s big sister.
I also hope this is the wake-up call Kody needs to begin to rebuild his relationships with his children. While I get the sentiment of wanting him to suffer, that does not help the remainder of his children heal, if that’s even possible at this point.
My only guess for why Gabe would have gone to pick up Kody is that he may have been so devastated he could not drive himself. While we have all been angered by the tears we have seen come from Gabe due to the neglect by this father, he is a strong young man. He allows himself to feel his emotions. Some might find this weak but I see him as very strong. We wouldn’t want him to hold in that type of hurt and allow it to manifest in other self-destructive ways. his tears were a release of pain.
It seems from other reports Garrison has been self-medicating with alcohol. Look at the statistics on alcohol and suicide. His appearance lately during the weekly family pictures has been alarming. He seemed bloated, his face flushed and unusually spotty red, and Gabe and his roommates mentioned he was struggling with alcohol addiction. Clearly, this young man was self-medicating and probably had a bad evening and does not get a redo.
I think had he gotten some substance abuse counseling and support this subject of the loss of this amazing young man wouldn’t even be a thing.
Are you able to share the police report as is?
@Kate– I am choosing not to, out of respect for the family. There are some pretty traumatic descriptions and stuff that should not be put out into a public forum, at least not by me. -The Ashley
@TheAshley I definitely appreciate you not publicly posting anything traumatic. Hopefully other outlets will also do that. I truly can’t imagine the devastation of losing a child. It has to be that much harder for it to be in a public forum. Finding out your son committed suicide and you have to publicly post about it before it’s breaking news is just adding to their grief.
Much respect for that decision Ashley
Prayers for the family. Maybe Kody will wake up and make amends with his other kids now. He is probably beating himself up already, but he needs to reconnect with the other kids. There should be more mental health help for everybody, especially for veterans.
I don’t blame the show or even kody. Unfortunately my experience with military individuals is they usually have these types of issues. I feel terribly sad over it. I wish the USA spent more on mental health than they do on people here illegally, sorry not sorry though
We spend plenty of money on the military, it just all goes to bombs & weapons. Some of that needs to be diverted. There are WAY too many homeless veterans, too. It’s shameful how we treat our vets.
So let’s ignore the government is funding illegals to migrate here right.. that offends democrats too much to say I guess. We will need those bombs and weapons but sure. Let’s just ignore what’s happening
What does that have to do with a young man taking his life?
NOT the time or the place for a Democrat vs Republican argument. Have some respect. And what Ann says about vets is TRUE. They aren’t treated properly and their suicides are on the rise. My husband has lost two friends he served with to suicide. It’s a valid discussion. This young man was in the National Guard. Take your politics somewhere else. This is about Garrison, NOT YOU.
Leave the politics out of it. This is about a young man who took his own life. Did he have a choice as a kid when his father and mother (s) decided to put him and his siblings on the air for the world to see? Hell no. All of us have been embarrassed by our parents at one time or another in our lives. Can you imagine it going on week after week and for years? And your parents screaming “f” you at each other for the world to see? My god. Let’s put some of the blame on the parents. Not the military. And now I just read today the Brown family is continuing to film. How sick is that?
Oh, wow! I’m truly sorry to hear.
It is not natural for a parent to bury your child. I had to watch my mother do this with my brother and it still haunts me even all these years later. I hope they end the show and dont use this as a story line. I think all the family needs counseling and privately. Rest in peace Garrison. Im sorry you felt so hopeless. Please to anyone out there… if your struggling know your not alone.
Parents are not supposed to bury their children but sadly Janelle and Kody are faced with the unthinkable. I look back on all the years those 18 kids were put before the cameras and that they had no choice in that. I remember the episode where Kody announced they were moving to Flagstaff and one of the kids was crying because it was his last year of high school in Vegas. Those kids were uprooted over and over again and it seemed like the 4 houses in Vegas finally were a real home for the kids. It was so obvious that as the kids got older they did not want to be part of the show and have their lives put out to the public. And then to have the mothers and father airing their personal issues…my god. And to know that the world is watching the mess they have been living in. Makes me sad. For the sake of the remaining children, I hope TLC and Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn have the common sense to pull the plug on Sister Wives. Their remaining kids deserve that much. You cannot tell me that Sister Wives did not affect poor Garrison.
The kids are all grown adults now, with the exception of Truly. If they don’t want to be filmed, they don’t have to be
Why do you think once they became adults they moved on from their lives being made public? As minors they had no voice in being put before the public. You cannot tell me it hasn’t affected them all in some ways.
I feel for the family and my heart goes out to them. There are no words for what they are feeling. I wonder how this will make Kody?
I wonder if guilt will eat him up and he resent robin even more and blame her, but also not changing a thing or admit anything due to ego. I wonder how long before robyn males about herself.
He is incapable of admitting fault, or feeling guilt. He is a narcissist, and this will not change him.
Gabe went to pick up Kody shortly after the death? Why? Let Kody find his own way! I bet that was an awkward conversation in the car
where did you read this?
The police report reported that gabe went and got Kody to bring him to the scene, Katie joy got the police report
Idk why this comment got so many downvotes. I also agree, it would be so awkward but it’s in the police report
Well not to be crass especially in light of the reports of Garrison but we have all seen the Costco photos of Kody with a cart full of booze maybe he wasn’t in a position to drive safely. Or perhaps too distraught to drive but there are like 4 licensed drivers in his house and of course Uber/lyft. Overall I agree that there were better options than sending Gabe.
It wasn’t an awkward conversation because Kody didn’t go with Gabe. Gabe showed back up alone. So I’m thinking that’s something Gabe wanted to do being Kody didn’t come back with him which makes that ride back even sadder.
If this doesn’t knock sense into Kody to get it together and make things right with his kids then nothing will.
They need to pull the plug on Sister Wives. Can you imagine being one of those 18 kids and having your parents televised screaming at each other for the world to see? Your father saying such hateful things about his kids and so called wives? And all in the name of entertainment. In the words of Kody, “love is supposed to be multiplied, not divided”. What a joke. He divided his love and left 3 women and their children out for the sake of a ridiculous program to prove how polygamy does not work. Sometimes the hurt a parent puts on their children can never go away and sometimes trying to make things right can be too late.
Absolutely. He will have to live with the things he said about Garrison on camera for the world to see, calling him an asshole. He can never make that right, he can never apologize and fix the relationship. If that isn’t enough to drastically change his behavior, nothing ever will be.
* As a side, I think it’s awful that Gabe had to go get Kody after he just found his brother in such a manner. I’m sure the image of him in such a state will haunt him forever. He shouldn’t have had to drive anywhere, and he certainly shouldn’t have had to go pick up Kody of all people.
Is it just me that finds the choice of picture being posted is the one of him holding a military rifle. Considering the circumstances wouldn’t any other pictures been a better choice to post and then have all the outlets pick up on from there.
I’m sure it’s a detail that was not on purpose and with the enormous amount of pain Janelle and his family are in. It’s very sad and shocking. I hope they all seek counseling. I’m not sure how you show petty drama going forward but I do doubt the show is cancelled now. I would like to see Kody apologize and make right with his kids in the aftermath.
It brings attention to the high number of veteran suicides maybe? 22 a day is too many
His remaining children will never forgive him. They know the truth. No snark, just facts. Thoughts and prayers to Jenelle and his siblings
I am sure the family was very proud of Garrison and his unselfish service to our country.
Thoughts go to Janelle, Christine & all the siblings. Such a tragedy. Kody should be ashamed of himself.
I’m so sorry to hear this I watched these kids grow up on tv it’s an awful thing to lose a child I’ve losted to nothing can compare to the pain Janette and Christine I feel the sorriest for they were such good moms to all the kids I don’t feel sorry for Kody at all no I’ve not already said this
Kotex is an awful up father.
Oh, Garrison, I am so sorry you were in such despair. I can’t imagine Janelle’s and Christine’s pain, and all the kids and all the family’s. The 20’s can be so hard, I wish Garrison had understood that it would get better and he would feel more peaceful within himself. So many people loved him and admired him. Praying for all the family.
I agree… I’m no Kody fan, but this is the WORST thing that could happen to a parent.. Any parent.. Kody included
My heart goes out to Janelle, Christine, and Meri along with their kids and Robyn’s kids.
I will 100% be that b!+ch and say this: while I feel bad for Kody on the loss of his child because that is terrible for anyone, I hope his behavior in pushing away any of his kids haunts him forever. We saw him act terribly toward his kids on camera – I can only imagine that what we didn’t see was worse. He wasn’t the only one at fault, but he acted like he wasn’t at fault at all which was obviously a load. And no matter what they try to tell us, Robyn had a hand in pushing Kody to behave like that, so she can go sit in the corner and keep her mouth shut right now.
Kody will have to live the rest of his life knowing that he was estranged from Garrison. That all his son wanted was a relationship with him and Kody refused over some petty bs reason. And the last thing Garrison saw of Kody was him calling him an A$$h0le on national TV.
That’s someone Kody will have to live with.
In tragedy, when it’s irreparable, I hope the only way to deal is to learn the lesson of how short and fragile life is and that he should now fix his relationship with ALL his adult children.
ALL of his kids are hurting and they have been hurting for a long time, I hope he can live up to the calling he lifted himself for, he chose to father 18 kids, now he needs to father them.
Agreed. And I hope I never have to know what Garrison’s siblings are going through right now, but I don’t know that I would ever be able to have a normal parent/child relationship with Kody knowing everything that went down, even if Kody came to me cap in hand. No matter what he says in an effort to make it right, I would always know that when I was down and craving any kind of recognition or attention from my father, he told the world he thought I was a jerk and wasn’t deserving of his attention, affection, or time. In time I might be able to forgive, but I would never forget. And I would never make any more of an effort in the relationship than Kody would. It wouldn’t be my job to make it right – I’m the kid, not the parent that wanted to toss me out.
It is just an awful situation all around and my heart absolutely hurts for Gabe because we saw exactly how hard he and Garrison took all this and now he’s lost his brother, too.
Sadly, too little too late
My thoughts exactly. If Kody was willing to act on camera like he does one can only imagine how he acts behind the camera. And they should never have done Sister Wives to begin with. The parents willingly exposed their children to the world with their lifestyle. Did those kids deserve that? And did they deserve to have the screaming and cursing made public? How many times I have looked at Truely and saw nothing but a very miserable little girl. And Isobel. Facing a surgery that her father refused to attend. And Leo/Leon, where does one go with that? A so called man/husband and his 3 spiritual wives and one legal wives and 18 kids. A major mess from the get go. How in the hell is a messed up so called family supposed to work with one husband, 4 wives and 18 kids? And the husband/father screaming and cursing and never taking responsibility for anything. Makes me sick.
This is such a tragedy.
This breaks my heart.
I feel immense sadness for Janelle it’s unnatural to bury a child. Sadness for Gabe who found him. For Kody for how he left things with his son, I hope he learns from this and repairs his relationship with his other kids.
I feel for all his siblings, and this is just a sad day. He was a sweet kid, and the world lost a good soul.