Prison Break star DuShon Monique Brown dies aged 49

The Chicago theatre veteran was also known for roles in Chicago Fire, Shameless, and Empire

(NBC)

DuShon Monique Brown, best known for her roles in Prison Break and Chicago Fire, has died aged 49.

The Cook Country medical examiner's spokesperson Becky Schlikerman says Brown died Friday at St. James Olympia Field Hospital outside Chicago. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Brown was part of the cast of long-running NBC drama Chicago Fire, in which she played Connie, the no-nonsense assistant to Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker). She also had a recurring role as nurse Katie Welch in Prison Break, alongside guest spots on Empire and Shameless.

She was also a veteran of the Chicago theatre scene, while working as a crisis counsellor at a Chicago high school and leading its drama programme.

In a statement, Chicago Fire executive producer Dick Wolf said the show's family is "devastated to lose one of its own."

Chicago theatre actor Carla Stillwell, who met Brown in the 90s and become a good friend, told The Chicago Tribune: “She was a brilliant actor, but she was also so goofy. We used to get in so much trouble from the stage managers we worked with because we were cutting up so much. She was just a ham. And she was truly loved.”

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