Parents Killed Protecting Daughters During Hike in Arkansas’ Devil’s Den State Park

Clinton Brink and his wife, Cristen Brink, were killed on a popular hiking trail in Arkansas while out with their two young daughters on Saturday afternoon

Clinton Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristen Brink, 41, were fatally attacked while hiking with their two young daughters on a remote trail in Devil’s Den State Park, northwest Arkansas, on Saturday, July 27. According to Arkansas State Police, the couple was attacked by an unidentified male, and both were pronounced dead at the scene. Their daughters, ages 7 and 9, were not physically harmed and are now in the care of relatives.

The family had recently relocated from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, seeking a fresh start and to be closer to loved ones. A neighbor, Shyanne Marie, recounted seeing the Brinks and their daughters leaving home on the morning of the attack, waving goodbye as they began their hike. "We had just talked to them," she said tearfully. "I cried because I honestly couldn't believe it… my heart hurts so bad for their little girls."

A neighbor told The U.S. Sun she saw Clinton and Cristen the morning of their death

The couple had only been in Arkansas for about two weeks. Marie noted how they were settling in well—her children had already begun playing with the Brinks’ daughters, and the families bonded over shared experiences, including being dog owners.

A former colleague in South Dakota described the couple as compassionate medical professionals—Clint was a nurse aide and Cristen a floor nurse at Monument Health in Rapid City. "They weren’t just co-workers; they were good friends,” the former colleague said. “Their belief in God was always a topic of conversation… the love for their girls and each other was undeniable.”

Investigators said the Brinks' two young girls, both under the age of 10, were not injured in the attack

She added that the couple had moved to be closer to family and expressed devastation over their deaths. “They really were genuinely good-hearted people… now those sweet girls are without their loving parents. My heart is broken for them.”

The tragic attack has rocked the quiet town of Prairie Grove and sparked an urgent manhunt. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect, who was last seen wearing a long-sleeve shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark pants, a dark baseball cap, sunglasses, fingerless gloves, and a black backpack. He is believed to have fled the scene in a black four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda, with tape covering the license plate.

Clinton Brink and his wife, Cristen Brink, were killed on a popular hiking trail in Arkansas while out with their two young daughters on Saturday afternoon

According to police audio, the children told authorities that their parents had been assaulted, with one possibly stabbed. A responder reported hearing someone yelling for help near the scene.

The Brink and Osgood families issued a statement honoring the couple’s bravery: “Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice. They will forever live on in all of our hearts.”