HOPKINS, MINNESOTA — Three people, including two adults and a child, were found dead at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Police are investigating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide.

Authorities believe a man killed a woman and their child before taking his own life. The deceased adults owned the residential childcare operation together, and the victims are believed to be related as a family.

Police responded to 911 calls around 9 a.m. local time after a parent dropping off a child discovered the bodies and called for help. The daycare is located on the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North in Hopkins.

Six other children were present at the daycare during the incident and were unharmed. All children at the daycare were under the age of 5. The six surviving children were reunited with their parents.

The cause of death and the weapon used were not immediately clear. State records show the daycare has been licensed since 2019 with a capacity of 10 children. The daycare was found to be in compliance during state visits in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnston addressed the tragedy at a press conference. "There’s no worse scenario than this, where you drop off your child somewhere you think is safe, and you get that phone call," Johnston said. He added that the event would leave a lasting mark on first responders. "I could see on the look on their faces that this was one of those ones that you’ll remember for your entire career, if not life," he said.

Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon also spoke about the impact on the local population. "We are all reeling with this information right now as a community," Hanlon stated.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the attack a "critical incident." He expressed solidarity with the affected area. "I know that our hearts and our prayers are with the people of Hopkins and any families that have been impacted," Frey said. He noted that he had reached out to local leadership to offer support. "I have already touched base directly with [Hopkins] Mayor Hanlon, offered any assistance that we possibly can provide," he added.

Why It Matters

This incident occurred within a broader context of domestic violence tragedies involving children in 2026. Earlier coverage on June 1, 2026, reported on a North Hills murder-suicide where a mother was identified after allegedly shooting her husband and two young children. In July 2026, another incident in Mechanicville resulted in the deaths of four children, with police stating that the mother and grandmother died by suicide. Most recently, earlier coverage on August 6, 2026, reported on six kids killed by their father in a Michigan murder-suicide, who were remembered in obituaries.

The Brown Bear Daycare case adds to this pattern of family-related violence affecting childcare settings or domestic environments. The facility had a licensed capacity of 10 children but was operating with fewer attendees at the time of the incident. The survival of six other children under the age of 5 shows the random nature of the violence, as they were present but unharmed. The community response from both Hopkins and Minneapolis leadership reflects the regional shock and the inter-municipal support mobilized in the aftermath.

Timeline

On June 1, 2026, earlier coverage reported a North Hills murder-suicide where a mother was identified after allegedly shooting her husband and two young children. On July 28, 2026, earlier coverage reported that four children were murdered and a mom and grandma died by suicide in a Mechanicville incident, according to a police chief. On August 6, 2026, earlier coverage reported that six kids killed by a dad in a Michigan murder-suicide were remembered in heartbreaking obituaries.

On August 12, 2026, the specific figure stated in the official record of this event is that three people, including two adults and a child, were found dead in a suspected murder-suicide at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, on August 12, 2026. Also on August 12, 2026, three people, including two adults and a child, were found dead at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. On that same day, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated, "I know that our hearts and our prayers are with the people of Hopkins and any families that have been impacted." Additionally on August 12, 2026, Hopkins Police Chief Brent Johnston stated, "There’s no worse scenario than this, where you drop off your child somewhere you think is safe, and you get that phone call." Johnston also stated on August 12, 2026, "I could see on the look on their faces that this was one of those ones that you’ll remember for your entire career, if not life."

What's New

Later reporting confirmed that three people, including two adults and a child, were found dead in a suspected murder-suicide at Brown Bear Daycare in Hopkins, Minnesota, on August 12, 2026. Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon stated, "We are all reeling with this information right now as a community." Additional context from earlier coverage on August 6, 2026, reported that six kids killed by a dad in a Michigan murder-suicide were remembered in heartbreaking obituaries. Earlier coverage on June 1, 2026, reported on a North Hills murder-suicide where a mother was identified after allegedly shooting her husband and two young children.

Earlier coverage on July 28, 2026, reported that four children were murdered and a mom and grandma died by suicide in a Mechanicville incident, according to a police chief. Further details established that the daycare is located on the 200 block of Tyler Avenue North in Hopkins. Records also showed that the daycare was found to be in compliance during state visits in 2023, 2024, and 2025. State records show the daycare has been licensed since 2019 with a capacity of 10 children.