New details released in case against admitted doula defrauder in Ontario

A Brantford, Ont. woman, who previously admitted to faking pregnancies and defrauding numerous doulas, has pleaded guilty again to similar crimes, committed while serving her sentence on the original set of charges.

Kaitlyn Braun pleaded guilty to the four new charges in the fall, and on Tuesday, those pleas were re-entered.

Court also heard details about two more people Kaitlyn Braun contacted, pretending she was experiencing pregnancy complications, while she was on house arrest.

Decisions on her sentencing, however, have been postponed.

Braun’s history

In December 2023, Braun pleaded guilty in a Brantford court to 21 charges and admitted to contacting numerous doulas, people who provide support during and after childbirth.

At that time, court heard she would pretend she was pregnant, often saying it was a result of a sexual assault, and was going through a stillbirth.

On Feb. 14, 2024, Braun was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest, though at the time Justice Robert Gee expressed his concerns about the sentence, saying he didn’t like it or how it was structured. However, he felt he had to accept it as it was a joint submission by both the Crown and defense.

“I have concerns about the mental health assessment and its finding that Ms. Braun is likely to reoffend,” Gee said at the time.

New charges

On Tuesday, a Hamilton, Ont. court heard that in April 2024, just two months after Braun’s sentence was handed down, she contacted a local charitable organization that supports parents in crisis.

She claimed her name was Kate Baker and was at McMaster hospital. She also said she was 19 weeks pregnant with a baby that would not make it to term, as her water had already broken.

The organization connected Braun with a volunteer who offered to go to the hospital to meet her, but Braun came up with excuses as to why she should not.

In the end, the volunteer spent about 18 hours on the telephone with Braun over a two-day period, giving her social work services.

It then became clear that the support was being offered under false pretences.

“She wasn’t pregnant,” said Crown prosecutor Simon McNaughton, presenting the agreed statement of facts in court. “She didn’t have pregnancy complications. She was doing this for reasons known only to her.”

Ten days after that incident, court heard Braun contacted a Hamilton-based doula via text message.

Using the name Jessica Baker, she once again claimed she was losing a pregnancy, this time at 21 weeks, and she was at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Over a three-day span, the doula and Braun exchanged about 600 text messages.

Braun also electronically signed a contract that the doula sent her, agreeing to a fee of $250, which was never paid.

When Braun suddenly stopped responding to messages on April 30, the doula became worried and contacted the hospital.

That’s when she was told there was no patient there with that name.

Hamilton Police said Braun was arrested that same day.

McNaughton described the latest incidents as essentially the same conduct as before.

"This is a longstanding pattern for Ms. Braun," he told court.

Sentencing discussions

The Crown and defence indicated they were going to present a joint submission for a sentence of three years incarceration.

Justice Joe Fiorucci, however, paused proceedings at that point, describing it as a “fairly significant sentence.”

He said he needed more information related to Braun’s original sentence before proceeding.

The judge also asked that more details be added to the agreed statement of facts, after one victim indicated in an impact statement provided to court that she felt sexually violated by Braun during their conversations.

“I don’t want to gloss over anything,” Fiorucci told court.

Next steps

Braun is scheduled to return to court on March 6 for sentencing submissions, however the judge said he may not be ready to impose the actual sentence that day.

Braun, now 26-years-old, remains in custody, where she’s been since her arrested in April.