Ont. woman who faked pregnancies to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
In December, Kaitlyn Braun, 25, pleaded guilty to 21 charges including fraud, mischief and committing indecent acts. Court heard that for months she had contacted numerous doulas, falsely claiming she was pregnant.
Birth workers spent hours, and in some cases days, supporting her in-person, on the phone or over video chat, sometimes as she pretended to deliver a stillborn baby. In victim impact statements and interviews with CTV News they described their experiences as disturbing and deeply traumatic.
Kaitlyn Braun appears in a picture posted to social media. (Facebook)
In February, Braun was sentenced to two years of house arrest and three years of probation at the recommendation of a joint submission from the Crown and the defence. At the time, the judge raised concerns saying he was troubled by a mental health assessment that indicated Braun was likely to reoffend.
On Wednesday, Hamilton police announced Braun had been arrested the day before and is facing multiple charges including harassing communications, obtaining by false pretences and breaching a conditional sentence order.
Police said the new charges stem from reports that, between Wednesday April 17 and Thursday April 18, Braun falsely solicited support related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Previous victims 'knew that this was going to happen'
“I wish I could say that I’m shocked but we knew that this was going to happen,” said Seanna Hayes, a London, Ont., doula and one of Braun’s previous victims.
Hayes was among those who provided care in-person at Braun’s home. Others victims supported Braun virtually.
“We knew that when she was released on house arrest, I mean they sentenced her to the place where she traumatized people. They sentenced her to the place where she committed all her crimes,” Hayes said.
“I feel just so betrayed by the court system. It’s their job to protect the public and they didn’t do that.”
Birth workers involved in the original case learned of the new victims through a group chat they use to keep each other informed.
“It’s hard knowing that this was going to happen and not being able to stop it,” said Amy Silva, another London, Ont., doula.
Silva created one of the earliest TikTok videos warning doulas about Braun when allegations about a scammer began to emerge.
“We tried so hard for so long to protect people. So it’s just a kick in the gut really that this happened and there’s other people feeling how we felt. We know exactly what they’re going through and we can’t do anything to stop it.”
Silva is also concerned because she said one of the people Braun reached out to recently is not a doula but works in a similar profession.
“Anybody in a caregiving role, really, is a target,” Silva said.
She said she won’t be surprised if more charges are laid against Braun.
For doulas trying to heal, Braun’s recent arrest is a setback.
“The court process last time was so traumatizing, just knowing we're going to have to go through all of that again is putting me in a state of panic,” Hayes said.
Kristen Aul no longer practices as a doula after her experience with Braun.
“She was my first client when I was trying to certify and it kind of just ruined the whole experience for me,” Aul said.
Braun’s matter was briefly addressed in Hamilton court on Friday, with a next date set for May 14.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
The Slovak prime minister is stable after 'miracles' in the hospital as suspect appears in court
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's condition was stable but serious Saturday as the man accused of trying to assassinate him faced his first court appearance.
No expert consensus on AI risks, trajectory 'remarkably uncertain': report
A major international report on the safety of artificial intelligence says experts can’t agree on the risk the technology poses — and it's unclear whether AI will help or harm us.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
N.B. man takes talent to the air, hoping others catch his love for extreme pogo stick performing
Duncan Murray is one of only a handful of Canadians to be considered a professional extreme pogo athlete.
Ukraine's divisive mobilization law comes into force as a new Russian push strains front-line troops
A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine came into force on Saturday, as Kyiv struggles to boost troop numbers after Russia launched a new offensive that some fear could close in on Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.