A problem like Kaitlyn - The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby, Ep 6, BBC World Service and CBC Podcasts

Key Concepts:

• Factitious Disorder: A mental disorder where a person feigns, exaggerates, or induces illness to gain attention and sympathy.
• Borderline Personality Disorder: A mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes self-image issues, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): A type of psychotherapy that combines behavioral science with mindfulness and acceptance strategies, often used to treat personality disorders.
• Victim Impact Statements: Written or oral statements presented to the court by victims of a crime, detailing the harm and suffering they have experienced.
• Joint Sentencing Submission: An agreement between the prosecution and defense regarding the recommended sentence for a convicted offender.
• Conditional Sentence (House Arrest): A sentence served in the community under strict conditions, such as staying at home except for specific purposes.
• Pseudonym: A fictitious name, especially one used by an author.

1. The Doula Deception in the UK:

• Verina Henchy, a doula in Lincolnshire, England, recounts a case during the COVID-19 pandemic where she provided pro-bono support to a woman claiming to be a first-time mother at 39 weeks pregnant.
• The woman contacted Verina via text and phone, describing her labor and pleading for support throughout the night.
• The situation escalated with the supposed birth of a baby with a congenital heart condition and excessive bleeding from the mother, requiring an ambulance.
• Verina provided support for nine days, but became suspicious when the midwife asked if she should breastfeed the baby.
• The story unraveled, revealing that the woman was using a fake name and targeting multiple doulas, similar to the Kaitlyn case.

2. Psychological Perspectives on Faking Illness:

• Dr. Kathryn Newns, a clinical psychologist, discusses how people are hesitant to question vulnerable individuals, especially women claiming rape or pregnancy.
• Dr. Marc Feldman, an expert in Factitious Disorder and co-author of "Dying to Be Ill," explains that individuals with this disorder feign or induce illness to gain attention and sympathy.
• The Cleveland Clinic estimates that about 1% of hospital admissions in the US are believed to have Factitious Disorder, but the actual number is likely higher due to under-diagnosis and patients seeking treatment at multiple facilities.
• Dr. Feldman notes that these individuals are often "master con artists" with great verbal skills, making it difficult to identify the disorder.

3. Kaitlyn's Diagnoses and Sentencing:

• Kaitlyn was previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety, depressive disorders, and Factitious Disorder.
• The court-appointed doctor rejected the diagnosis of Factitious Disorder, stating that Kaitlyn's behavior was more consistent with borderline personality disorder due to the deliberateness of her actions.
• Despite her mental health struggles, Kaitlyn was deemed fit to stand trial and held responsible for her actions.
• A sentencing agreement was presented to the judge, suggesting 2 years of house arrest, 3 years of probation, and therapy.

4. Victim Impact Statements and Kaitlyn's Statement:

• Victim impact statements were read in court, detailing the trauma and fear experienced by the doulas.
• Katie, one of the doulas, posted her full statement on TikTok, expressing fear for herself and other doulas, and the lasting impact of Kaitlyn's actions.
• Seanna's statement highlighted the fear of new clients and the inability to offer virtual support due to the trauma caused by Kaitlyn.
• Kaitlyn addressed the court, acknowledging her "regrettable decisions" and expressing hope that her words and plan of action would demonstrate that she is a changed person.
• She claimed to have participated in various programs in jail, including Healthy Body Image, Human Trafficking Awareness, and Managing Emotional Pain and Grieving with God.

5. Judge's Skepticism and the Sentencing Decision:

• Judge Gee expressed skepticism about the sentencing agreement, questioning Kaitlyn's honesty and the validity of her diagnoses.
• He noted that Kaitlyn had visited the hospital over 170 times between the ages of 17 and 24, with the court-ordered examiner believing most of those visits were based on lies.
• Dr. Feldman stated that Factitious Disorder is often under-diagnosed and that individuals with the disorder know their actions are wrong but view themselves as desperate for attention.
• The court-ordered report described Kaitlyn as having limited insight, poor self-control, severe emotional dysregulation, and a lack of empathy or remorse.
• Despite his reservations, Judge Gee accepted the joint sentencing submission, placing Kaitlyn on 2 years of house arrest with her mother and 3 years of probation, calling the sentence "distasteful" but stating his hands were tied.

6. New Offences and Subsequent Arrest:

• In April 2024, while on house arrest, Kaitlyn contacted another doula and a family helpline worker using a pseudonym, seeking emergency pregnancy support and sending almost 600 text messages over three days.
• She was arrested again and sent back to jail for breaching the terms of her release.
• In January 2025, Kaitlyn pled guilty to four new offences: two counts of false pretences with intent to defraud, one count of intent to harass, and one count of intent to injure or alarm.
• The crown and defense are again seeking a joint sentencing submission, this time asking for three years in prison, to be served after Kaitlyn completes her original sentence.

7. The Mother's Involvement and Lack of Comment:

• The doulas believe that Kaitlyn's mother, Kimberly Ross, was aware of Kaitlyn's deceptions and was present during the time Kaitlyn was pretending to be in labor.
• Kimberly Ross declined to comment for the podcast.

8. Conclusion:

• The case of Kaitlyn Braun highlights the complexities of mental health disorders like Factitious Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder, and the challenges in balancing the needs of the offender with the protection of the community.
• The judge's initial reluctance to accept the sentencing agreement and the subsequent reoffending by Kaitlyn underscore the difficulties in rehabilitating individuals with these disorders.
• The doulas' experiences and victim impact statements emphasize the significant and lasting harm caused by Kaitlyn's actions, raising questions about the effectiveness of the justice system in addressing such cases.