DuShon Monique Brown, 'Chicago Fire' Actress, Is Dead At 49

DuShon Monique Brown has died of natural causes last Friday, March 23. The Chicago Fire actress was 49 years old.

Brown is survived by her daughter.

According to a report from Chicago Tribune, the NBC star died just a little bit after noon at the Franciscan St. James Health Olympia Fields hospital. No official cause of death has been disclosed by the coroner's office.

Brown's manager, Robert Schroeder, confirmed the news on The Wrap, citing natural causes as the reason behind her untimely death.

"We are devastated by the loss of a very talented and kindhearted soul," he continues. "DuShon was a film, television, commercial and voice-over actress who also graced the stages of many Chicago theaters. She brought laughter and joy to many and will be greatly missed. At this difficult time we ask that the privacy of the family and loved ones be respected."

TMZ reports that the actress went to the hospital a few days ago for chest pains, then was released later that day after undergoing some tests. Feeling ill on Friday morning, she was taken to the hospital again where she died around noon.

A Veteran Actress

A Chicago native, Brown has been performing as a theater actress all around the city for a long time, but she's best known for her television career.

Aside from being cast as the beloved assistant Connie in Chicago Fire since the show premiered in 2012, Brown had a recurring in Prison Break from 2005 to 2007. She also enjoyed guest spots in various television shows such as Empire, Shameless, and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams.

Mourning The 'Chicago Fire' Staple

One of the most reliable figures in the NBC show is the stern yet loving Connie who kept the rest of the group in check throughout her entire run on Chicago Fire. With Brown's death, the cast, crew, and fans will no longer be able to enjoy her presence onscreen or on the set, a huge blow to the long-running series.

"The Chicago Fire family is devastated to lose one of its own," executive producer Dick Wolf says in an official statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with DuShon's family and we will all miss her."

Chicago theater actress Carla Stillwell, who's been good friends with Brown since the '90s, also talked about the late actress and her goofy personality.

"She was a brilliant actor, but she was also so goofy," Stillwell tells Chicago Tribune. "She was just a ham. And she was truly loved."