Case of Brantford woman who faked pregnancies and scammed doulas signals need for better screening: groups

WARNING: This article ref‐ erences sexual assault and suicidal ideation, and may affect those who have ex‐ perienced them or know someone affected by them.

The high-profile case of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was rearrested while serving house arrest for faking preg‐ nancies and duping doulas may be unique to the public, but scams targeting workers in the field are more com‐ mon than people may think, say doula organizations.

Efforts to con these preg‐ nancy-care professionals have been "known for a long time in the doula world," said Robin Elise Weiss, president of DONA International, which has certified over 14,000 doulas in over 50 countries since 1992.

"There are a lot of people who do this … it's common enough that if you've been a doula for more than six mon‐ ths, you've probably gotten one or more of these people who reached out to you."

Weiss spoke in the wake of new charges against Kait‐ lyn Braun, who was sen‐ tenced in February to house arrest for harassment and fraudulently seeking the ser‐ vices of numerous doulas in Ontario between June 2022 and February 2023.

Hamilton police said alle‐ gations between April 17 and 18 spurred an investigation into the 25-year-old and it was reported she had "falsely solicited support related to pregnancy and childbirth from unsuspecting victim(s)."

A doula is a trained pro‐ fessional who supports clien‐ ts before, during and shortly after childbirth. They also help with grief and trauma around pregnancy loss, but they're not health-care pro‐ fessionals who deliver babies and they don't have access to medical records or equip‐ ment.

While doulas have certifi‐ cations with different organi‐ zations, they are not regis‐ tered with a regulating or governing body.

Tell-tale signs of a scam‐ mer

Weiss said scammers will try to prey on new doulas and they may:

Ask for free or deeply discounted services. Tell doulas they are overdue or their water broke days ago. Say they're having contractions at the moment they're calling. Try to have doulas talk about preg‐ nancy or birth in vivid, anatomical detail. Have numerous excuses for why they can't follow the doula's advice. Ask for services that are outside a doula's scope of practice.

Leanne Palmerston, owner of Hamilton Family Doulas, echoed Weiss's comments.

Palmerston said Braun reached out to Hamilton Family Doulas in 2022, but didn't end up using their ser‐ vices because Braun lived outside of the organization's catchment area and she had asked for discounted ser‐ vices.

"We dodged a bullet," Palmerston told CBC Hamil‐ ton.

A judge sentenced Braun to two years of house arrest and three years of probation after she pleaded guilty late in 2023 to 21 of the 52 charges she faced, including fraud, indecent acts, false pretences and mischief. She also was told she'd have to wear a GPS ankle bracelet and undergo mandatory counselling, was forbidden to contact victims, and banned from using the internet and social media for two years.

During the court proceed‐ ings on the initial charges, over a dozen doulas shared how Braun's actions changed their lives, including how she coerced victims into giving her massages while she was naked with the intent of in‐ sulting or offending them.

Lawyers also shared

Braun's long history of men‐ tal health challenges, includ‐ ing memories of childhood sexual assault, major depres‐ sive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and bipolar and borderline tendencies. Braun's health records indi‐ cate a history of suicidal ideation and almost 200 hos‐ pital visits beginning in 2006.

"What Kaitlyn did to the various prenatal workers she was able to scam was horrif‐ ic," Palmerston said.

"The nature of our job is very personal and very inti‐ mate. You have to be trusting … when that trust is broken and betrayed, it's devastating and makes you question things far outside of your work."

More training needed to help doulas

Weiss and Palmerston give these tips to doulas to help them try to avoid scammers:

Tell the person asking them for services that they must be a client to get any. Don't offer deeply discounted or free services. Use doula message boards and so‐ cial media groups to learn from others. Trust your gut and don't work with someone if it does‐ n't feel right.

Palmerston said the industry also needs to do a better job of helping new doulas learn how to avoid getting duped.

Weiss agreed, adding: "This is something we ad‐ dress in training in talking about business and building a doula business.

"I also think just talking about it as doulas is impor‐ tant and we're seeing more of that.

"It's a conversation, not a one-time teaching point."

Help resources

For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, support is available through crisis lines and local support ser‐ vices via this government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Associa‐ tion of Canada database. If you're in immediate dan‐ ger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.

For anyone struggling with their mental health, help is available through:

This guide from the Cen‐ tre for Addiction and Men‐ tal Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.