How Janelle Brown’s Mom Ended Up Marrying Ex Kody Brown’s Dad

by

Janelle Brown‘s familial ties to ex Kody Brown are more like an intricate web.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! So, Kody and his wives were spiritually married for almost 30 years before everything fell apart, which is already wild, but get this: Janelle’s mom, Sheryl, actually married Kody’s dad, Winn, way back in October 1992! And then, Kody and Janelle got married just three months later in January 1993! It’s like their families were meant to be connected, or… something! I’ve been researching everything, and it’s just so crazy to me!

Janelle explained that her involvement with Kody started with curiosity about plural marriage. She was initially intrigued after getting to know his family, who lived a polygamous lifestyle.

Janelle explained on a recent episode of their TLC show that her mother rescued her from a polygamous group, determined that she wouldn’t marry into it. Interestingly, her mother later married Kody’s father. Janelle’s father, Robert Schriever, had passed away when she was young.

And it made for some awkward conversations with Janelle’s other relatives.

It felt strange initially, but I realized it was good to have someone supportive. Many of my family members didn’t agree with the decisions I made and were reluctant to stay in touch, worried I’d made a big mistake.

Winn maintained spiritual marriages with Sheryl and two other women, including Kody’s mother, Genielle Brown, until he died in 2013 at the age of 78. Sheryl died seven years later, in 2020, at age 76.

Sheryl’s online obituary identified Janelle as one of her daughters. Kody was listed as Janelle’s husband and also as Sheryl’s stepson.

As for how Kody feels about his complex connections to Janelle? 

It’s just… really complicated, watching Kody and his family. He said it himself on Sister Wives a while back, after his splits from Janelle, Christine, and Meri, leaving him only married to Robyn. He was talking about his dad’s wife, Sheryl, and how she’s also my mom’s sister wife and my mother-in-law! It’s a strange connection, and honestly, a little mind-bending to try and keep straight.

New episodes of Sister Wives air every Sunday on TLC.

Still a little confused? Read on for a deeper dive into Kody’s family tree.

Logan Brown was born on May 21, 1994, and is the oldest of Kody and Janelle Brown’s children. He’s also the oldest of Kody Brown’s 18 children in total.

He earned his MBA from the University of Nevada in 2020 and then married Michelle Petty in 2022.

Aspyn is the oldest child of Kody and Christine Brown. She was born on March 14, 1995.

Aspyn, a graduate of the University of Nevada, married Mitch Thompson in 2018. She revealed she was expecting a baby in April 2025.

Born on July 29, 1995, Leon is the only child of Kody and Meri Brown.

In 2020, Leon came out as transgender, sharing that they were previously “socialized as a girl.”

Leo shared on Instagram that growing up, they were in a very strict and traditional environment that heavily emphasized gender roles. Now, they’re ready to be their authentic self with the world, and that self is proudly genderqueer and transgender.

Leon married Audrey Kiss in 2020 at a Colorado courthouse wedding.

The second of Kody and Christine’s children, Mykelti was born on June 9, 1996.

She married Antonio “Tony” Padron in 2016, and their wedding was featured on the show Sister Wives. They have three children together: a daughter named Avalon, and twin sons, Archer and Ace.

Janelle gave birth to Madison—her second child with Kody—on Nov. 3, 1995.

Madison attended Utah State University and married Caleb Brush in 2016. They have three children together: Axel, Evangalynn, and Josephine.

Janelle and Kody welcomed Hunter—their third child together—on Feb. 9, 1997.

Hunter finished at the Air Force Academy in 2020 and then went on to study nursing at Johns Hopkins University.

Christine gave birth to her and Kody’s third child together on Aug. 7, 1998.

Garrison Brown was born on October 31, 1998, and was the third youngest of Kody and Janelle Brown’s children. He tragically passed away by suicide on March 5, 2024, at the age of 25.

Dayton is Robyn Brown’s son from a previous marriage to Preston Jessop. He became part of Kody Brown’s family through adoption in 2015, five years after Robyn and Kody had a spiritual marriage.

In 2014, Kody divorced his first wife, Meri, to legally marry Robyn and formally adopt her son, Dayton.

Nicknamed Gabe, the fifth child of Kody and Janelle was born on Oct. 11, 2001. 

Kody and Christine welcomed their fourth child on Oct. 15, 2001.

Gwendlyn tied the knot with Beatriz Queiroz in 2023.

Aurora is Robyn’s second oldest child. Kody legally adopted her in 2015, a year after he married Robyn.

Kody and Christine welcomed their fifth child together on June 13, 2003.

Her struggles with scoliosis have been documented on Sister Wives.

Breanna is one of Robyn’s three children with Preston. When Robyn married Kody, Breanna and her siblings were officially adopted as part of his family.

Kody and Janelle’s youngest child, Savanah, was born on December 7, 2004. Despite no longer being together, they both attended her high school graduation in 2023.

Born on April 13, 2010, Truely is the youngest child of Kody and Christine.

Kody and Robyn welcomed their second youngest son on Oct. 27, 2011.

Ariella Brown was born on January 10, 2016, and is the youngest of Kody and Robyn Brown’s children. She’s also the youngest of eighteen children in the entire Brown family.

Read More

2025-12-01 09:17