Latest news with #KaitlynBraun
National Post
11-06-2025
- National Post
Ontario woman convicted of defrauding doulas gets prison sentence after breaching probation
Article content The now infamous doula-duper, Kaitlyn Braun, 26, was given the sentence she asked for after pleading guilty four months ago: she'll serve the rest of a conditional sentence in jail and then be sent to prison for a three-year term. Article content 'The waiting has been difficult,' Braun's lawyer, Alison MacDonald, said in a Hamilton courtroom on Monday. Article content 'She just wants to be done and do her time.' Article content Article content Braun conned close to two dozen doulas, who professionally support pregnant women through their labour, into an emotionally wrought tale of sexual abuse, pregnancy and the loss of an imaginary baby while seeking their constant attention, support and intimate care. Article content Article content She went right back to harassing and defrauding doulas just two months after beginning a conditional sentence given to her last February in Brantford. Article content In that earlier case, Justice Robert Gee struggled with how to treat Braun, who pleaded guilty to 21 offences, including fraud, criminal harassment, false pretenses and committing an indecent act. Article content The judge eventually agreed with the Crown and defence lawyers that the best way to deal with Braun was a strict and long form of house arrest, ordering her to get dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), which assessors believe is the only way to stop her bizarre behaviour. Article content But, while Braun started working on some DBT workbooks, she didn't pursue as much help as was hoped. In April 2024 she was arrested by Hamilton police after complaints in that city. Article content Article content Hamilton's Justice Joseph Fiorucci balked when presented earlier this year with a plan to send Braun to prison for breaching probation conditions, suggesting he might 'undercut' a submission for a three-year sentence. Article content But, after hearing more details, reviewing the transcript of Braun's Brantford trial and pouring over the victim impact statements, Fiorucci said Monday he had to accept the idea. Article content 'It's not surprising,' said the judge, that no one could provide him with case law about how similar crimes have been treated.
CBC
09-06-2025
- CBC
Judge calls woman a 'danger,' sends her to prison after faking pregnancies, defrauding Ontario doulas
Social Sharing WARNING: This article references sexual assault, and may affect those who have experienced them or know someone affected by them. Kaitlyn Braun was sentenced to three years in prison in a Hamilton court room Monday after she faked being pregnant and conned two women into providing her with doula support while she was on house arrest for similar crimes. Braun will also serve the remainder of her house arrest sentence behind bars, bringing her total sentence to three years and eight months of incarceration. Dressed in a lime green sweater and dark green pants, Braun, 26, sat in the prisoner's box Monday, looking down for most of the hearing and did not address the court except to say "good morning" to Ontario Court Justice Joe Fiorucci. In January, she pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining by false pretence services under $5,000 and two harassment-related charges from April 2024. Both the defence and Crown requested she be imprisoned where she could undergo therapy. Fiorucci agreed, noting a psychiatric assessment found she had a high risk of reoffending and inflicting psychological harm on others if she doesn't undergo treatment and take medication. Even then, "she is very likely to offend and create victims," he said. "The offender's deception was fully conscious, purposeful and deliberate," Fiorucci said. Braun had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced for 21 charges including fraud, indecent acts, false pretences and mischief, after pretending to have experienced pregnancies and stillbirths between June 2022 and February 2023. Dozens of doulas across Ontario were impacted. A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to clients before, during and shortly after childbirth. They also help with grief and trauma around pregnancy loss, but they do not deliver babies and they don't have access to medical records or equipment. 'I just broke down' While on house arrest for the first set of crimes, in Brantford, Braun participated in individual and group therapy, and was supported by a nurse practitioner and psychiatrist, Fiorucci noted. But a couple weeks in, Braun called an organization that supports parents in crisis and was connected with an employee, Tracy Robb. Braun gave a fake name and claimed to be 19 weeks pregnant. She said her baby wasn't going to make it to term and she needed support. Robb spoke on the phone with Braun for 18 hours over two days. Braun told Robb what she planned to name the baby and asked about Robb's own childbirth experiences. Braun appeared to be making noises "consistent with orgasm" on some of the calls, Crown attorney Simon McNaughton previously told the court. Braun has denied her crimes were sexual in nature and wasn't charged with sexual assault. But Fiorucci said on Monday the evidence "strongly suggests" there was a sexual element and Robb said she felt sexually violated. After hours of talking with Braun, Robb said she happened to check her work email and saw a warning to service providers of possible fraud. That email prompted her to call the hospital and she found out nobody by the name Braun had given had checked in. "I just broke down," Robb said. "It really rocked my world." In the year that followed, Robb left her job and struggled in her relationships with her husband and children. "I have always been very caring and compassionate," she said. "And now I'm kind of hesitant and wondering if someone is taking advantage of the situation. It's not a good place to live and I hope I can move past that because I don't want that to be who I am forever." Shows a lack of remorse Days after her phone calls with Robb, Braun contacted a doula through text. She again gave a false name and claimed she was 21 weeks pregnant, experiencing pregnancy loss and her partner had left her after finding out. The doula said in her victim impact statement that she initially wanted to do everything she could to support Braun. That feeling "changed to disgust" when she realized Braun had made it all up, Fiorucci told the court. WATCH | How Kaitlyn Braun fooled this Doula into believing she was pregnant: How Kaitlyn Braun fooled this Doula into believing she was pregnant 1 year ago Duration 5:10 He said allowing Braun to continue her sentence under house arrest "would be a danger to the safety of the community." Without therapy and prison's "structured environment, the offender poses a significant and ongoing threat," Fiorucci said. A psychiatric report diagnosed Braun with borderline personality disorder and anti-social personality disorder, anxiety and depression, and determined she was aware of what she was doing when she committed the crimes, said Fiorucci. She also showed a lack remorse for her behaviour. Braun has a history of lying to authorities. In the year leading up to her crimes against doulas, she visited hospitals 178 times, presenting issues that weren't real or self-inflicted to obtain medical attention, Fiorucci. She also reported being sexually assaulted 60 times at hospitals around the province, allegations police determined weren't true. She was cautioned by them to stop or face charges. Braun also falsely claimed several of her family members died and she'd been the victim of a home invasion. While working as a social worker, she lied to her boss that an 11-year-old client had sexually assaulted her. She was fired over the incident. Factitious disorder ruled out During Braun's psychiatric assessment, mental health professionals considered she may be experiencing factitious disorder, but concluded her behaviour doesn't reflect that diagnosis, Fiorucci said. Factitious disorder is when a person fabricates symptoms to gain attention from others. Braun posed as having a wide range of issues against many different people in her life — not typical of factitious disorder. And when confronted with the truth, she admitted to lying, apologized and sought forgiveness, also not typical. The motivations for her crimes likely included reducing her social isolation as she saw professionals "as substitute friends," experiencing enjoyment and pleasure by taking risks, and exploring aspects of her sexual identity, Fiorucci said. For Kitchener doula Amy Perry, the judge recognizing Braun was in control of her actions was a relief. Perry said she was among 50 doulas victimized by Braun. "When we talk about this, the biggest response I get is I hope [Braun] gets the help she needs," said Perry. "And that's really frustrating when there's so many victims who are not getting the help they need. She is calculated and smart. I think they made that more clear today."
CTV News
09-06-2025
- CTV News
Ontario woman who faked pregnancies to defraud doulas sentenced to five years behind bars
A Brantford, Ont. woman who admitted to faking pregnancies and defrauded numerous doulas will spend the rest of her original sentence in police custody, plus an additional three years for new crimes. Kaitlyn Braun was sentenced Monday in a Hamilton courtroom. The judge accepted a joint submission by the Crown and defence recommending a five-year sentence, despite expressing concern in a previous hearing about Braun's ability to seek rehabilitation behind bars. The defence, however, argued that it was the sentence Braun wanted. 'The client gave very clear instructions, she can get DBT [Dialectical Behavior Therapy] in the penitentiary,' he told the court. 'She wants to just deal with things, wants to start doing her real time and wants to get assistance.' Some of Braun's victims were present in the courtroom for the sentencing. Original sentence In December 2023, Braun pleaded guilty to 21 charges. She admitted she contacted multiple doulas, who provide care during and after childbirth, while pretending to be pregnant. Court heard she would often claim it was the result of a sexual assault, and in some cases, acted like she was experiencing a stillbirth. Braun was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest in February 2024. At that time, the judge expressed concerns about his own sentence and cited a mental health assessment which warned that Braun was likely to reoffend. He said he didn't like how the sentencing submission, from the Crown and defence, was structured but felt he had to accept it. New charges A few months later, in April 2024, Braun reached out to a charitable organization that supports parents in crisis using the name Kate Baker. She claimed to be 19 weeks pregnant with a baby that would not make it to term and spent about 19 hours on the phone with a volunteer. Ten days later, Braun began texting a Hamilton-based doula. Calling herself Jessica Baker, she claimed to be 21 weeks pregnant and the two exchanged about 600 messages over three days. Braun also signed a $250 contract with the doula but never paid. Braun was arrested on April 30, 2024 and later pleaded guilty to four new charges. More to come.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- CTV News
Sentencing delayed for doula defrauder from Brantford, Ont.
The sentencing of Kaitlyn Braun, the Brantford, Ont. woman who pleaded guilty to new charges of defrauding doulas, has been pushed back. The 26-year-old was expecting to find out her fate on Friday. However, the judge decided he needed more time to consider the case as it lacked precedent. Braun's background Braun pleaded guilty in December 2023 to 21 criminal charges. She admitted she contacted numerous doulas, who provide support during and after childbirth, and faked being pregnant. Court heard that she often claimed the pregnancy was a result of sexual assault and, in certain cases, would pretend she was going through a stillbirth. In February 2024, Braun was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest on the charges. The judge in that case expressed his concerns about the sentence, specifically citing a mental health assessment warning that Braun was likely to reoffend. The sentence was a joint submission from both the Crown and defense. The judge said he didn't like how it was structured but he felt he had to accept it. Then, in April 2024, Braun contacted a charitable organization that supports parents in crisis. She used the name Kate Baker and claimed to be 19 weeks pregnant with a baby that would not make it to term. She was then contacted by a volunteer with the organization who spent about 18 hours on the phone with Braun. Ten days later, Braun began texting a Hamilton-based doula. This time she called herself Jessica Baker and claimed she was 21 weeks pregnant. The two exchanged about 600 messages over a three-day period. Braun even electronically signed a $250 contract with the doula, which she never paid. Braun was arrested on April 30, 2024. She later pleaded guilty to four charges related to those incidents. Sentencing process As with Braun's first case, the defense and Crown submitted a joint sentencing recommendation to the judge. They asked for five years behind bars for breaching her house arrest and committing similar crimes. On Friday, the judge raised concerns about a possible prison sentence. He felt it may be too harsh and lacked an opportunity for Braun's rehabilitation. Braun's lawyer argued that it was the sentence she wanted. 'The client gave very clear instructions, she can get DBT [Dialectical Behavior Therapy] in the penitentiary,' he told the court. 'She wants to just deal with things, wants to start doing her real time and wants to get assistance.' The Crown prosecutor pointed out that Braun had her chance. 'Rehabilitation failed. Ms. Braun failed miserably.' The judge ultimately decided he needed more time to consider their arguments. Braun will remain in custody until June 9, when the judge will decide if he will accept the joint submission for a five-year sentence.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- CTV News
Sentencing delayed for doula defrauder from Brantford, Ont.
The sentencing of Kaitlyn Braun, the Brantford, Ont. woman who pleaded guilty to new charges of defrauding doulas, has been pushed back. The 26-year-old was expecting to find out her fate on Friday. However, the judge decided he needed more time to consider the case as it lacked precedent. Braun's background Braun pleaded guilty in December 2023 to 21 criminal charges. She admitted she contacted numerous doulas, who provide support during and after childbirth, and faked being pregnant. Court heard that she often claimed the pregnancy was a result of sexual assault and, in certain cases, would pretend she was going through a stillbirth. In February 2024, Braun was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest on the charges. The judge in that case expressed his concerns about the sentence, specifically citing a mental health assessment warning that Braun was likely to reoffend. The sentence was a joint submission from both the Crown and defense. The judge said he didn't like how it was structured but he felt he had to accept it. Then, in April 2024, Braun contacted a charitable organization that supports parents in crisis. She used the name Kate Baker and claimed to be 19 weeks pregnant with a baby that would not make it to term. She was then contacted by a volunteer with the organization who spent about 18 hours on the phone with Braun. Ten days later, Braun began texting a Hamilton-based doula. This time she called herself Jessica Baker and claimed she was 21 weeks pregnant. The two exchanged about 600 messages over a three-day period. Braun even electronically signed a $250 contract with the doula, which she never paid. Braun was arrested on April 30, 2024. She later pleaded guilty to four charges related to those incidents. Sentencing process As with Braun's first case, the defense and Crown submitted a joint sentencing recommendation to the judge. They asked for five years behind bars for breaching her house arrest and committing similar crimes. On Friday, the judge raised concerns about a possible prison sentence. He felt it may be too harsh and lacked an opportunity for Braun's rehabilitation. Braun's lawyer argued that it was the sentence she wanted. 'The client gave very clear instructions, she can get DBT [Dialectical Behavior Therapy] in the penitentiary,' he told the court. 'She wants to just deal with things, wants to start doing her real time and wants to get assistance.' The Crown prosecutor pointed out that Braun had her chance. 'Rehabilitation failed. Ms. Braun failed miserably.' The judge ultimately decided he needed more time to consider their arguments. Braun will remain in custody until June 9, when the judge will decide if he will accept the joint submission for a five-year sentence.
