Garrison Brown, 25-year-old son of Kody and Janelle Brown of the polygamy reality TV show “Sister Wives,” has died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” Janelle Brown said in a joint Instagram post with ex-husband Kody.
“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,” the post said.
Police in Flagstaff, Arizona, received a report Tuesday of a home death. Upon responding, authorities were met by sibling Gabriel, and they found the body of Garrison, Police Sgt. J. L. Rintala told Fox News.
“It is with great sadness I confirm Mr. Robert Garrison Brown was located in his residence deceased as a result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rintala said.
The “Sister Wives” reality TV show about polygamy came to the TLC network in 2010, when Garrison was a child. Besides Janelle, Kody had three other wives, Christine, Robyn, and Meri Brown.
When the reality show began, the family lived in Utah, but legal concerns about their polygamist arrangement prompted a move to Las Vegas, then Flagstaff, according to The Arizona Daily Sun.
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Kody’s relationships with the women were dubbed as “spiritual marriages,” according to People Magazine.
Such relationships have no official legal standing, although at one time Kody was legally married to Meri. They were divorced in 2014 and Kody and Robyn were then legally married, with Kody adopting Robyn’s three children from a previous marriage.
Three of the women left Kody in 2022 and 2023, with only Robyn remaining.
Kody and the four women had believed a polygamous marriage would be happy, but the relationships were plagued by jealousies, legal problems and feelings of neglect by children, People reported.
Variety reported that Janelle once voiced concern about Kody’s relationship with his children — 18 in number, including the three adopted.
Garrison, Janelle said, “just seems angry or sadder, like, he’s not as happy-go-lucky as he used to be.”
In a “Sister Wives” episode telecast in May 2023, Kody acknowledged the division between himself and his children and said he had hopes that things in time would improve.
‘Sister Wives’ star Garrison Brown’s troubling final text revealed before apparent suicide https://t.co/fQlmCMGmoE pic.twitter.com/c1b7mPLB9x
— New York Post (@nypost) March 6, 2024
“I think and hope that in time we’ll just get over this and that we’ll be safe being back around each other,” Kody said.
“Right now, there’s not really an open door with Gabe and Garrison. They’re not willing to engage me.”
A statement from TLC said, “We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of Garrison Brown. We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Brown family at this difficult time.”
