‘Sister Wives’ Sleuths Uncover Shocking Reason the Browns Fled Utah, and It Had Nothing to Do With Being Arrested
Viewers of TLC’s hit series Sister Wives regularly come together to share commentary on the reality show’s latest episode or share information they have gathered regarding the Brown family. Much of thier remarks are episode based. However, several fans believe they have uncovered the shocking reason the clan initially fled Utah during season 2 of their television series.
The Brown family led viewers to believe they were under legal persecution for polygamy
The family went public after season one of Sister Wives debuted on TLC in 2010. However, while the family appeared to be embraced by viewers, their home state of Utah still considered polygamy a third-degree felony. This meant that Kody Brown could be jailed, and his family broken up.
While the Browns may have believed they were under duress by the government, the premise of the storyline was untrue. As Showbiz Cheat Sheet previously reported, it’s rare for the Utah attorney general’s office to prosecute polygamists unless they are accused of additional crimes. A police report states that while it was acknowledged that Kody did practice bigamy, he was not associated with any crimes against his family members. Therefore, there would be no prosecution of the Brown patriarch.
So why all the drama? Wasn’t the premise of the show interesting enough to keep viewers engaged? Some fans believe they’ve found the real reason why the Browns fled Utah and it had nothing to do with Kody’s arrest.
‘Sister Wives’ fans claim the Browns had to move because of their church
In a Reddit post that initially discussed Christine’s decision to leave the Brown family during season 17, some fans discussed the reasons why the clan fled their home state for Las Vegas. During that family debate, Janelle confirmed that Christine was no longer a practicing member of the AUB (Apostolic United Brethren). Viewers realized that none of the families were formally involved in their church.
This led to a separate discussion as to why the Browns fled Utah. Some fans claim it was due to the family’s willingness to go public and their church being against the idea.
“The church kicked them out after season 2 aired,” wrote one Reddit user. “The AUB owned the Lehi house. The Elders told the Browns that they didn’t like the exposure and wanted them to stop after season 1.”
They continued, “Once the Browns agreed to season 2, the Elders pulled the plug and excommunicated them, and they had to move out. That was the reason for the move and not some contrived criminal investigation.”
A second fan wrote, “It was discussed here a couple of years ago. The statement went into the financials a bit and how difficult it was for the Browns to get a mortgage. Kody and Meri filed for bankruptcy about two years before the show. Christine had filed shortly before they got the show. The AUB then helped the Browns by either co-signing or equivalent to secure the loan,” the fan concluded.
Other fans questioned why the family still had their Utah home while living in Las Vegas
After moving to Las Vegas, Sister Wives viewers saw family members returning to their Lehi, Utah home on several occasions. Many items remained in the abode that housed Kody, Janelle, Christine, and Meri Brown. Robyn Brown lived in a separate home after her marriage to Kody. But some fans questioned why the clan still owned the house even after their move.
“Why did they still empty the Lehi house after they were in Vegas?” asked a third Reddit user. “Kody and Meri visited the house with Mariah when she was visiting a college, and they said they kept it because Mariah wanted to live there. However, seeing it empty without family made them want to ‘let it go’ or something.”
“As far as I remember, the Browns continued payment to keep the mortgage and their promise to the AUB current. It wasn’t until the AUB threatened them with legal proceedings that the Browns came down to Utah and sold it to another polygamous family within the AUB,” wrote a fourth fan.
