‘Sister Wives’ Star Kody Brown’s Feud With Sons Garrison and Gabe Explained Amid Garrison’s Death

Sister Wives star Kody Brown is at odds with his son Gabe, and was feuding with son Garrison before his untimely death. 

Which of Kody Brown's Sons Is He Feuding With?

Kody currently has a strained relationship with “[several] of [his] children," ex-wife Janelle Brown, with whom Kody shares Gabe and Garrison and four other children, said during part 2 of the Sister Wives tell-all in February 2022.

How Did Kody Brown's Feud With His Kids Begin?

Janelle added that the rift was due to the "ways his [COVID-19] rules went down." However, it seems that his disagreements were mostly with Gabe and Garrison.

“[We’re] not good. Not talking,” Kody said of them during the tell-all. “It’s like one of those relationships where we’ve gotta do a lot of work.”

“I make rules, you guys abide by them. I understand that these two needed their social lives,” he added. “I totally get it. But in this case, COVID is different,” he added. “It changed everything for everybody, and they want it all to be the same.”

“We need therapy,” Kody said to host Sukanya Krishnan at the time. “I’ve gotten to the point where I’m so angry about what happened that we’re not communicating. And I think they are too.”

Why Are Gabe Brown and Kody Brown Feuding?

In a January 2022 episode, Gabe insisted that he and his girlfriend, Peyton, should be able to see each other during the pandemic since she was self-isolating. After Kody said that he was uneasy with the fact that he couldn't be sure Peyton was following COVID-related protocols at the time, Gabe said, "I can’t take Peyton out of the equation."

“OK, I understand that, Gabe. I mean, Gabriel, the real issue here is you had to choose between me coming over or seeing your girlfriend,” Kody responded, which made Gabe upset.

“Why?” Gabe asked. “Why was I made to make that decision?”

"I'm tired of it. It's literally ruining our family," Gabe told cameras in a confessional about Kody's COVID restrictions.

Why Were Garrison Brown and Kody Brown Fighting?

Like Gabe, Garrison argued with Kody about maintaining his social life during COVID. As a result, Garrison moved out of his family’s property in 2021 after the season 16 tension boiled over. He went on to purchase a $329,000, four-bedroom, two-bathroom, Arizona home.  

Tragedy struck, however, when Garrison died at the young age of 25 in March 2024. His death was the result of a suspected suicide, and his brother Gabe found him already dead at the scene.

"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," A spokesperson for the Flagstaff Police Department told In Touch in a statement.

Kody broke his silence about Garrison's death in a statement posted to social media, released just minutes after his son's death became public.

"Janelle 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,” Kody wrote. "Our 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."

Janelle shared the same message on her own account.

According to a police report following Garrison's death, Janelle told Flagstaff, Arizona, law enforcement that her son and her ex-husband were still estranged at the time of his death.

What Contributed to Kody Brown's Feud With His Kids?

Another factor of Kody's rift with some of his kids was "spending all his time" with his fourth wife, Robyn Brown.

"He spent the holidays with Robyn and her kids," a source previously told Us Weekly in January. "He didn't even try making plans with the others. All the wives were very much separated for the holidays, spending time with their own families."

While Janelle shared in a January 2022 episode that Kody seemed to imply that she wasn't "being careful" regarding Gabe and Garrison's social lives, Kody responded, "I think you understand the big picture that I have, and I want you to just respect that, OK?"

"You know, f--k off," Janelle fired back, before revealing she would be spending Thanksgiving 2020 with their kids instead of Kody. 

During a September episode of season 17, Janelle provided more insight into the turmoil between her sons and their dad. 

“For my boys, there’s so much more going on than just this fight over whose COVID rules should be followed,” she confessed to the cameras. “They have for a long time perceived that Kody’s focus, you know, his time, everything, was spent, the majority at Robyn’s house, even when we lived in Vegas.”

Janelle also slammed the father of 18 for asking her to kick out her sons from her home after they broke the family's COVID-19 protocols. “This is the most hilarious thing to me, he’s threatened this before,” she told producers in a confessional. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you’re not even on the lease. I’m on the lease.’” 

In the same episode, Christine Brown, who split from the family patriarch in November 2021, claimed, “Janelle’s kids have been frustrated with [Kody] for years because of the way he’s treated Janelle.” 

As for Robyn, she refuted their reasoning that the feud has anything to do with her relationship with Kody. “I know there’s a lot of accusations from the boys … you know, about me, they’re false. I just don’t have that kind of power over Kody,” the mom of four told producers. “And if I did, I certainly wouldn’t have chosen what we have chose through COVID.”

Where Do Kody and Gabe Stand Today?

Janelle seemed to suggest that Gabe and Kody are still not on good terms when the Brown patriarch appeared to be absent from his son’s 21st birthday celebration in October 2022.

The proud mom shared a video of Gabe out to eat at a restaurant as he blew out a candle. “My Gabe is 21! Where does the time go ! Had so much fun celebrating at  @cucina_rustica_sedona last night,” she wrote alongside the clip via Instagram. “Happy Birthday honey! I wish all the best for you.”

During the December 4, 2022, episode of the family’s reality show, Gabe revealed he cut ties with Kody after his father forgot his birthday.

In the episode filmed on October 11, 2021, ??Kody called Gabe after he and Robyn contracted COVID-19. While discussing his symptoms with Gabe, the father of 18 seemingly forgot that the call took place on his son’s birthday.

“I didn’t remind him that it was my birthday because I wanted to see if he remembered,” Gabe admitted during a confessional. “And he didn’t. So to him, it was just a phone call just asking me about COVID.”

He wiped tears from his eyes before adding, “It was a lot worse than just a phone call for me.”

Gabe then shared that Kody called him again hours later to apologize for not wishing him a happy birthday, though he said that his father’s effort came too late.

“That’s the last time I ever talked to my dad,” he told the cameras.