After speaking about her sister’s violent death in The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, audiences learned of another tragedy in Dominique Brown‘s life—the passing of her only son. But how did Aaron Michael Brown die? He was only 33, after all.
Dominique is one of Nicole Brown’s three sisters. As you likely know, Nicole was brutally murdered in 1997 two years after her divorce from OJ Simpson. In the “Trial Of The Century”, OJ was charged and eventually acquitted of Nicole’s murder, despite much evidence to the contrary.
Dominique has maintained a relatively low profile, unlike the eldest Brown sister, Denise. She has not been as publicly active in advocacy or media appearances and did not have as prominent a role in the trial as Denise. However, she was still part of the family’s presence and support during the legal proceedings. Now, 27 years after her sister’s death, the public has renewed curiosity about how Aaron Michael Brown died. Here’s what we know.
How did Aaron Michael Brown Die?
Aaron Michael Brown died on September 11, 2022, while his cause of death has not been publicly revealed, we can take clues from his mom Dominique’s touching obituary where she revealed his final days. “In the days before he passed, Aaron was excitingly preparing to head to Lake Perris for the Desert Daze festival,” suggesting that his death was unexpected and that he was not ill.
Aaron was born on November 6, 1988, and grew up in the Monarch Bay Area of California. “He was a beach kid for sure and lucky to grow up close to the sun and surf he loved so much. According to his mom, he owned every board imaginable including boogie board, surfboard, body board and skateboard. So many in fact, that she had to buy a truck to fit it all,” the obituary continued.
“Aaron was also passionate about the things and people he cared about, hated injustice and was a fierce defender of the underdog. He never went with the flow just because it was the norm. Aaron was kind, thoughtful, loving, compassionate and a good friend. He loved his mother fiercely. He would reach out to family and friends alike to tell them he or ‘we’, as he often said, were thinking of them.”
After her sister Nicole’s death, Dominique told People how important it was to protect OJ and Nicole’s sons, Sydney and Justin. “I knew that was the role I was supposed to undertake,” she said. “There was Denise’s son, my son, Sydney, and Justin. We played together, ate together, went to the beach together—everything together. It was to help them heal and do things that were fun.”
Apparently, the Brown sisters don’t keep in touch with Nicole’s children much, but “I see so much pride in their families just like [Nicole] had in her children,” Dominique said. “I see that with the kids now with their own.” After OJ died in 2024, Dominique revealed how the sisters reacted. “It’s very complicated,” Dominique explained.