ByGandhinagar : A young pregnant woman named Kaitlyn, facing a series of devastating events, seeks solace and support from dozens of birth workers. Rape, baby loss, even a coma—she endures it all, leaving those around her scrambling to offer comfort and aid. But then, the unthinkable is revealed: Kaitlyn’s story is a complete fabrication, a carefully constructed series of lies. This is the chilling premise of Kaitlyn’s Baby, a new six-part true crime podcast series launching as part of The Con, a collaboration between the BBC World Service and CBC.
Hosted by Canadian writer and producer Sarah Treleaven, Kaitlyn’s Baby examines the perplexing case of Kaitlyn Braun, unraveling the motivations behind her elaborate deception and raising profound moral and ethical questions. Treleaven, who immersed herself in similar stories for a year, guides listeners through the intricate details of Kaitlyn’s con, piecing together the puzzle of who she truly is and why she chose to orchestrate this elaborate scheme.
The series promises to be a gripping story of the human capacity for manipulation and the vulnerabilities that make individuals susceptible to such cons. The podcast trailer, included in a recent update for fans of Love, Janessa (the acclaimed first season of The Con), previews the emotional turmoil experienced by those caught in Kaitlyn’s fabricated story.
One birth worker recounts their terror upon discovering the truth, their body paralyzed by fear and indecision. Another describes the overwhelming urge to support and comfort Kaitlyn, their empathy overriding any suspicion. These raw, emotional accounts highlight the profound impact Kaitlyn’s actions had on those around her, the violation of trust leaving lasting scars.
The podcast reveals that Kaitlyn’s deceit went beyond simply feigning a pregnancy. She tailored her story to exploit the specific backgrounds and personalities of the doulas she targeted, further amplifying the sense of betrayal felt by her victims. This calculated manipulation underscores the depth of Kaitlyn’s deception and raises unsettling questions about her motives.
Mental health experts and legal systems are often left baffled by cases like Kaitlyn’s, struggling to comprehend the motivations behind such elaborate and damaging lies. The podcast examines this complexity, exploring the psychological factors that might have driven Kaitlyn’s actions, such as factitious disorder. It also examines the societal context, where historical skepticism towards women’s narratives may have inadvertently shielded Kaitlyn from scrutiny, allowing her deception to flourish unchecked.
The podcast emphasizes the lasting impact of Kaitlyn’s actions, highlighting the victims’ desire to prevent similar scams from occurring in the future. The core of the scam, as articulated by one contributor, lies not just in the fabricated pregnancy but in the way Kaitlyn manipulated the inherent compassion and trust of those around her. This poignant observation underscores the insidious nature of Kaitlyn’s manipulation, exploiting the very qualities that make these individuals exceptional caregivers.
Beyond the individual case, Kaitlyn’s Baby offers a broader reflection on the art of deception, exposing the vulnerabilities inherent in human nature and the complex interplay of trust, empathy, and manipulation that can lead to such shocking betrayals. The series promises to be a compelling listening experience, leaving audiences grappling with unsettling questions about the motivations behind such elaborate cons and the ripple effects of deception on both individuals and society.
Here are the key details about the podcast:
- Title: The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby
- Host: Sarah Treleaven
- Format: Six-part true crime series
- Producers: BBC World Service and CBC
- Release Date: All episodes available as a box set on BBC Sounds starting Tuesday, January 14th, 2025. Weekly releases on most other podcast platforms.
Kaitlyn’s Baby is the highly anticipated second season of The Con, following the success of its first season, Love, Janessa, which explored the world of online catfishing scams. The new season promises to be equally gripping, offering listeners a chilling and insightful journey into the dark underbelly of human deception. Prepare to be captivated, disturbed, and ultimately, left contemplating the fragility of trust and the complexities of human behavior.
Kaitlyn Braun’s Alleged Pregnancy Scam: A Timeline of Deception
Kaitlyn Braun’s alleged scam targeted doulas, professionals trained to provide emotional and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth. Doulas, unlike medical providers such as obstetricians or midwives, focus on building trust and offering unwavering support, making them vulnerable to manipulation. The podcast, through interviews with five of Kaitlyn’s accusers, reveals a pattern of increasingly elaborate scenarios designed to evoke sympathy and exploit this inherent trust.
To understand the gravity of Kaitlyn’s alleged actions, it’s crucial to understand the role of a doula. A doula is not a medical professional, but rather a trained companion who provides continuous physical and emotional support to a person before, during, and after childbirth. They offer a comforting presence, assist with pain management techniques, advocate for the birthing person’s wishes, and educate them about their options. Their core mission is to create a safe and empowering experience for those giving birth, fostering a sense of trust and understanding. This dedication to providing unwavering support, while admirable, can make them particularly vulnerable to those who might exploit their compassion and empathy. Kaitlyn, it seems, preyed on this inherent vulnerability, using elaborate lies to draw doulas into her fabricated world of suffering.
- August 2022: Samantha, a rookie doula, becomes Kaitlyn’s first alleged victim. Kaitlyn fabricates a story of being nearly full-term, with a baby conceived through sexual assault. Samantha provides in-home and hospital support, believing Kaitlyn’s claims of labor and even driving her to the hospital on multiple occasions. The charade culminates in a shocking revelation at the hospital: an ultrasound reveals no pregnancy, only an IUD.
- November 2022: Kaitlyn escalates her deception, claiming to be a queer sexual assault survivor ostracized by her family. She enlists two doula friends, Rachel and Nora, for phone support, fabricating a harrowing tale of a 32-week stillbirth, a forced hysterectomy, a cancer diagnosis, and repeated sexual assaults by medical personnel. The doulas, emotionally invested in Kaitlyn’s fabricated plight, provide hours of support, even going so far as to write a will with Kaitlyn and contact journalists about the alleged assaults. They only realize the deception when Kaitlyn’s claims unravel, with fabricated images and inconsistencies in her story.
- February 2023: Ashley becomes involved when Kaitlyn fabricates a story of needing support for a 24-week stillbirth. Ashley connects Kaitlyn with another doula for continuous support. Red flags emerge as Kaitlyn’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic. The doulas discover online warnings about Kaitlyn’s previous scams and confront her, ultimately reporting the incident to the police. Ashley, determined to warn others, creates a viral TikTok video exposing Kaitlyn’s scheme.
- March 2023: Rosa, a pregnancy and infant loss doula, becomes one of Kaitlyn’s final alleged victims. Kaitlyn concocts a story of being hospitalized for days, enduring a stillbirth, hysterectomy, and ultimately, being placed on life support. Rosa, drawing on her personal experiences with loss and trauma, provides extensive support, only to discover the truth through a doula support group.
