Minnesota Man Kills Wife, Daughter at Home Daycare, Police Say

A Minnesota man used a screwdriver to fatally stab his wife and their 7-year-old daughter inside a home daycare on Wednesday morning, before taking his own life, according to a search warrant released Thursday.

The Hennepin County warrant identifies the man as Nathan Brown, 41. It states he attacked 41-year-old Kristen Brown and their daughter, Evie, in the basement of the family's Hopkins home, which operated as Brown Bear Childcare. He then fatally shot himself in an upstairs closet.

A father arriving to drop off his two children heard screams from the basement. He entered the home and initially thought Nathan Brown was performing CPR before realizing it was an attack. The witness called 911 and fled with his children and two other children.

Authorities said six other children were present, but none were physically harmed. Police have not released a motive and said there was no history of calls to the address.

Investigators believe Nathan Brown earlier killed a 78-year-old relative at her home in Burnsville, about 20 miles away. The woman's identity and relation have not been released. Nathan Brown had recently been living there.

The witness told investigators that Kristen Brown had recently sent parents a letter saying the daycare would close, citing "relationship issues with Nathan."

Kristen Brown had been state-licensed since 2019 and was found in compliance during visits in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She opened the daycare after Evie's birth, writing on Facebook that she hoped to help children "blossom into happy, intelligent, caring individuals." She held a degree from the University of Minnesota and incorporated music, cooking, and field trips into her program.

Family members declined to comment.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the national suicide and crisis lifeline.