'This crime has ruined me': Victims of doula defrauder share stories

Doulas describe impact of fraud, deception CTV’s Stefanie Davis has more from an emotional day in Brantford court as doulas who fell victim to Kaitlyn Braun share their stories.

Doulas who were deceived and defrauded by a Brantford, Ont. woman who faked being pregnant to obtain care under false pretenses had their chance to speak in court Wednesday.

Kaitlyn Braun was expected to be sentenced the same day, but the judge decided to reserve the judgement for Feb. 14.

Braun has pleaded guilty to 21 charges including fraud, mischief and committing indecent acts.

In victim impact statements, read in court, doulas described the lasting trauma and profound emotional toll their experiences with Braun created.

Braun also read her own statement to the court saying, in part, there’s “a strong sense of shame when I think of the pain that I caused.”

“I can’t still be that person, nor do I want to be,” she added. “I’m deeply and truly sorry. I hope that you’re all able to heal.”

“I think it’s heartfelt,” defence lawyer Alison MacDonald told reporters outside the courthouse. “It sounds similar to what the victims have stated in terms of their personal experiences, apologizing, recognizing the harm that she has created and I think that it’s a sincere position that she’s putting forward.”

DETAILS HEARD DURING GUILTY PLEA

Starting in June 2022, Braun began requesting the services of doulas – professionals who provide support during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period – lying to them about being pregnant, often saying she was carrying a stillborn child, court heard last month.

Braun was a registered social worker but was unemployed at that time.

Victims included doulas in Ontario, Alberta and Florida. The birth workers supported Braun in-person, by phone or through video chat.

In many cases, the doulas sat with Braun as she pretended to deliver a stillborn baby, sometimes screaming, crying and moaning in pain, court heard.

In several cases, the Crown said Braun “requested a massage while naked” from a doula, including rubbing her back and hips.

Often Braun obtained services from doulas for free under false pretenses. In other cases, she did not pay.

Braun was arrested in March and has been in custody ever since.

CROWN AND DEFENCE SEEKING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE

MacDonald said the defence and Crown are asking for a two-year conditional sentence for her client, followed by three years of probation.

“Essentially, house arrest for the entirety of the two years,” MacDonald explained.

It would include restrictions and mandatory, in-depth counselling called DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy).

MacDonald also said they’re requesting the 10 months Braun has already spent in custody not be counted toward those two years.

There was some back-and-forth between the lawyers and the judge as they discussed an appropriate sentence for Braun.

The judge was weighing her likeliness to re-offend.

“She’s fundamentally dishonest,” he said. “Her whole history is filled with deception and manipulation.”

He also wondered how long it would take Braun to get the specific therapy she’d need.

The final decision on sentencing will be up to the judge.

PUBLICATION BAN LIFTED FOR 12 VICTIMS

A publication ban had been in place preventing all victims in the case from being named. However, before victim impact statements began, the Crown filed an application to lift it for 12 victims at their request.

The judge granted it, but the publication ban remains in place for all other victims.

VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS

One doula, who addressed her victim impact statement directly to Braun, said the emotional toll of the situation has been profound.

“You exploited my passion,” she said, explaining she’s experienced trauma, depression and anxiety in both her personal and professional life.

“The impact on my family has been immense,” she continued, saying therapy, court, gas and parking costs have added up to nearly $6,000.

Braun sat with her head hung low while victims read their statements – not looking at them or reacting.

Another doula said, since her experience with Braun, she’s been fearful of new clients.

“I wonder if they’re being truthful,” she admitted.

“One thing jumps out at me – fear. Kaitlyn Braun has made me afraid to do the work I am so passionate about.”

“This crime has ruined me,” she added.

SHARING THEIR STORIES

Seven doulas read their victim impact statements in court while others chose to have the Crown read their statements for them.

CTV News spoke to some of the women outside the courtroom Wednesday.

“Today is the first day that I can identify myself as a victim of Kaitlyn Braun,” said Kate Williamson. “I’ve been a doula for 10 years and I have never heard of, or seen, anything quite like this. I just want to put it out there that she fooled me, an experienced doula. It happened.”

Amy Perry chose to read her victim impact statement in the courtroom.

“I don’t think we could put into words how this has impacted our lives. To me, it even felt weird to put it down on paper. It’s just not enough to explain what we went through. This has deeply affected every part of our lives.”

That includes her career.

“It’s been very difficult to do basic things that involve running a business, like responding to emails and actually showing up with clients and being present,” Perry explained. “I’m finding it very difficult to even continue making enough money at this point. I am still technically practicing, but I’m not really active with clients because of this.”

Katie Nelson said she couldn’t continue working after her experience with Braun.

“I’ve completely left doula work. I was in it for about five years and specialized in loss and termination services. This was kind of my last straw.”

Nelson also stopped working as a volunteer bereavement photographer.

“I’ve had to turn down a lot of those calls because I can’t bring myself to be in that position again,” she explained. “That’s not fair to those families who are legitimately in need of those services. It’s not just us that have been impacted.”

“I, still to this day – it’s been a year – and I still can’t comprehend half of what happened,” doula Kristen Aul said. “She technically owes me $400, which I know I’ll never see, unless I take her to small claims court. I can’t afford to do that.”

VICTIMS FRUSTRATED

The doulas who spoke to CTV News weren’t happy with the terms of the conditional sentence presented by Braun’s defence and the Crown.

“[It] feels a little bit like a joke to us, really. You’re forcing somebody who is therapy to take therapy, and hoping to have them change and not reoffend and harm other people? It feels unrealistic,” Perry said, referencing Braun's training as a social worker.

Both Perry and Nelson felt the impact on the victims was ignored or not fully understood.

“We’re very frustrated with the whole process,” Nelson said. “Just being in there and seeing how much she’s being defended, this whole time it’s felt like she’s had more rights than we have.”

Meanwhile, the women said the support from each other has been invaluable.

“It’s meant a lot to me,” Williamson said. “Being able to process that trauma and know that I wasn’t the only one, that was incredibly helpful. I’m incredibly grateful for the doula community that I have.”

“At one point that was the only support that we had was each other,” added Aul. “Because nobody else would listen to us.”