‘I feel a strong sense of shame’: says doula scammer

An expected sentencing for doula scammer Kaitlyn Braun hit a snag Wednesday when Justice Robert Gee balked at a joint submission from the Crown and woman’s lawyer.

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The submission called for the release of the Brantford woman with nothing but a plan that she would get critical therapy when it was available.

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“We’d have to trust her,” said Gee about releasing the woman.

“(This plan) relates too much on Ms. Braun’s word, which has been amply demonstrated that we cannot do.”

In December, Braun, 25, pleaded guilty to 21 counts of fraud, criminal, harassment, false pretenses and committing an indecent act

On Wednesday, numerous doulas read victim impact statements, indicating they were traumatized and humiliated by Braun’s heart-rending story of being a sexual assault victim pregnant with a stillborn baby.

Braun engaged several dozen doulas over the course of months and, playing on their emotions, monopolized days of their time as she acted out active labor, the birth of a stillborn baby and, in one case, her own death.

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Her interactions were virtually over the internet, in her home, in the homes of doulas, in hospitals and in rented Airbnbs.

Several doulas reported they had left the profession due to their traumatic interactions with Braun.

While the lawyers had agreed upon a time-served plus a community sentence with a push to get Braun the only type of therapy being suggested to help resolve her mental health issues, the judge has pointed out repeatedly that there are no guarantees she will get such help.

Braun has been assessed as needing dialectical behavioral therapy or DBT, an intensive therapy that teaches people to accept their thoughts, feelings and behavior but adds techniques to change them.

Assistant Crown attorney Josh Mociak adjusted his pitch for a sentence in the community to include a strict two-year house arrest term with Braun outfitted with a GPS bracelet.

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She would also have strict limits on any use of the internet.

Braun’s defense lawyer, Alison MacDonald, said her client can’t access DBT therapy while in custody, where she has been for most of a year, and must be in the community to start the process of connecting to the counseling. Mociak agreed.

“Yes, there’s a high risk she’ll re-offend. She’s manipulated people, but the bottom line is the only way she can get better is to take this type of counseling.”

“Community sentencing should not put the community at risk,” countered the judge. “She’s almost certain to go back to this again.”

Braun’s lawyer pointed out that her client’s enormous notoriety will help ensure that she can’t re-offend in the birth assistance community:

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Along with a huge group of doulas on TikTok, a major article in Cosmopolitan magazine and a podcast featuring the accounts of many of the victims, Braun’s story has received international play.

“If you search for the hashtag #KaitlynBraun it has 7.7 million hits,” said MacDonald, who pointed out that several of the victims breached a publication ban by publicly naming themselves.

“Kaitlyn is going to be vilified and has suffered significantly on account of her own actions but the vessel she used to connect with the victims, they are using to disseminate the story and potentially monetize the story.”

The judge was asked to lift the publication ban on the names of 12 of Braun’s victims and heard victim impact statements from 14 of them.

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The women spoke of how the crimes stopped them from working either temporarily or permanently, cost them income and affected their families.

They told of nightmares, entering counseling and being hospitalized for mental health issues due to Braun.

“We’re all accustomed to con artists who take money but she didn’t take money,” said one, describing how Braun walked around naked while she was in ‘labour’ and wanted the doula to stay with her as she showered and lounged in a warm bath.

“I don’t know if I have a future as a doula right now. I know I feel safer because she’s in jail.”

While the emotion and pain of her victims was heard through the day, Braun bowed her head as each person spoke, raising it again as the lawyers and judge debated.

She wore wrist and ankle shackles, a long sweater and leggings and black-rimmed glasses.

When given an opportunity to speak to the judge, Braun professed to be “a changed person” thanks to her time in custody.

“What I did was very wrong and I feel a strong sense of shame,” Aha said, offering a direct apology to her victims.

Gee asked the lawyers to give him more information about the therapy available and his options for sentencing Braun to serve in the community, adjourning the ematter to Feb. 14.

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