‘Alaskan Bush People’: Ami Brown’s Niece Dies After Setting Herself on Fire

Alaskan Bush People‘s Brown family suffered a tragic loss last month when Ami Brown‘s niece died at the age of 44. After years of struggling with mental health issues, Amber Branson lit “herself on fire,” according to a report by The Sun. She passed away due to injuries from the fire days later.

Amber started the fire at her home in Hudson Oaks, Texas, according to Ami’s brother Les Branson. He told reporters that local police were called to check up on a woman lying face down in her own front yard. “When police arrived on the scene, they found Amber with severe burns over 90 percent of her body,” he said. “She told the police that her injuries were self-inflicted. When questioned why, she said it was a ‘faith test.’”

Amber reportedly shared the home with her boyfriend, but it is not clear whether or not he was home at the time. However, her boyfriend “later found an empty can of gasoline that had been in the garage tossed over a neighbor’s fence.” When asked directly what she had used to light the fire, Amber reportedly said: “insect repellant.”

Amber was taken to a Dallas hospital and rushed to the burn center when police found her. According to Les: “her injuries were deemed ‘non-survivable,’ according to doctors. After being taken off life support at the family’s request on April 30, she succumbed to her injuries early the next day.”

In addition to her mental health issues, Les said that Amber had a history of drug use. Although she had been sober for several years before her death, he confirmed that there was evidence that she was under the influence at the time of the fire.

“Though she had been drug free for several years and had struggled mightily to turn her life around, she apparently had relapsed and had begun using the drugs again,” he said. “As is well known, people with underlying mental health problems are especially prone to bizarre, delusional behavior when under the influence of such powerful stimulants.”

Amber was the daughter of Ami Brown and Les’ brother Rene. She was previously married and is survived by her ex-husband, three children and four grandchildren, as well as her parents and two brothers. Les said that her friends and family are “stunned and horribly grieved by her tragic death,” adding: “She was a kind, generous person with a big heart who was loved and admired by many, but who unfortunately also suffered from a debilitating disease. She will live in our hearts forever.”