Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out. The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby is hosted by Sarah Treleaven.
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CBC News ·
(Natalie Vineberg)
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Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they're led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out.
In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer.
Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service.
Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023.
Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.
Hear the Trailer:
The Con3:00Introducing The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby
EPISODES
Episode 1: The barking dog
The Con38:39Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 1: The barking dog
Amy, a seasoned doula, is bedridden due to illness when she receives a call from fellow doula Katie to assist a client, Kaitlyn, over the phone. Kaitlyn is pregnant as a result of sexual assault and has just learned her baby will be stillborn. Over the next 10 days, Amy and Katie are swept into Kaitlyn's escalating crises — bleeding disorders, a hysterectomy, cancer, and seemingly predatory doctors — while supporting her emotionally, over the phone. Despite exhaustion and their own trauma, they unquestioningly focus on Kaitlyn's needs. However, when Amy’s girlfriend points out strange details in Kaitlyn's story, alarm bells ring. A dog barks during a call where Kaitlyn claims she’s in the hospital, and photos Kaitlyn sent of her stillborn are traced back to Wikipedia. Something isn't right.
Content warning: This episode contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.
The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby27:58Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 2: Pink flags
Seanna is a new doula and excited to help her first client: Kaitlyn, 32 weeks pregnant, who reaches out online. Seanna goes to Kaitlyn’s home, assisting her through labour. But Seanna soon realizes that something doesn’t add up. Separately, another doula, Kate, also tends to Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn appears pregnant in person. Kate provides typical doula support — massages to help alleviate discomfort, and assisting her in and out of the shower. When Seanna convinces Kaitlyn it’s time to go to the hospital, Kaitlyn receives an ultrasound. The technician, to Seanna’s shock, reveals there’s no pregnancy; the only thing in her uterus is a contraceptive device. Seanna takes to social media to warn other doulas about Kaitlyn’s scam. When Kate gets the sense that something isn’t right, she searches social media and finds Seanna’s post about Kaitlyn’s fake pregnancy. The two connect and realise they had the same traumatic experience with Kaitlyn, and plan to expose Kaitlyn’s con to the wider birth worker community.
Content warning: This episode contains strong language and references to sexual abuse, sexual behaviour and baby loss.
The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby26:39Kaitlyn's Baby | Episode 3: Fifty doulas
The doulas unite, determined to do what the police don’t seem to be doing: stopping Kaitlyn. Kate and Seanna connect with other doulas through social media, discovering they’ve all been duped by Kaitlyn. As they try to get Kaitlyn help, Seanna and her mentor Teri reach out to Kaitlyn’s family to find out more about her situation. They even get Kaitlyn on the phone, who admits she knows what she’s doing is wrong but says she doesn’t know how to stop. Meanwhile, more and more doulas come forward — from other parts of North America too — to share similar stories of manipulation by Kaitlyn. Amy, another doula, calls the police for a wellness check on Kaitlyn, only to learn that law enforcement were already aware of Kaitlyn’s actions.
Content warning: This episode contains strong language, and references to baby loss and sexual behaviour.
