Kaitlyn Braun, a resident of Brantford, Ontario, faces serious allegations of deceiving multiple Ontario doulas by faking pregnancies and stillbirths. Her scheme was intended to defraud these birth and postpartum professionals of their services, and the next chapter in this saga is set to unfold in court on Friday, October 20.
Among the numerous charges awaiting Braun are multiple counts of criminal harassment, fraud, and sexual assault. Tuesday saw a brief court appearance from the accused, whose case has been adjourned until the following week.
The accusations levelled against Braun are not just legally serious but also morally reprehensible. Among the victims are several doulas who have been deceived into providing their professional services under false pretences. Braun is believed to have lied to these professionals about her supposed pregnancies and stillbirths, exploiting their empathy and support for her own illegitimate gain.
These doulas, who are experienced professionals offering support during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period, were left shocked and traumatised. Recounting their experiences supporting Braun, they describe the instances as not just bizarre but also deeply affecting.
Braun was initially apprehended on March 13. The charges brought against her included, among other offenses, 32 counts of criminal harassment, fraud, and sexual assault. At that juncture, law enforcement revealed that they had identified six victims but suspected more were yet to come forward.
Such suspicions proved correct when, in early May, authorities announced that Braun was now facing a staggering 51 charges. This increase was the result of 17 victims choosing to press charges against the accused, shedding further light on the scale of Braun’s fraudulent activities.
