QUESTIONS OVER KIRA COUSINS' FAKE BABY SCANDAL FROM 'KICKING' VIDEO TO MATERNITY LEAVE
A family has been left in turmoil after it emerged a woman faked her own pregnancy and birth, and her supposed newborn baby was later found to be a doll.Kira Cousins, 22, from Airdrie, in Scotland, announced the supposed birth of her "daughter" Bonnie-Leigh earlier this month on social media and claimed she weighed in at 5lbs 4oz.
However, it has now been revealed that her supposed baby was, in fact, a Reborn baby doll.
She is accused of going to extreme lengths to fool her partner, family, and friends by wearing a prosthetic bump, sharing fake hospital updates, and even hosting a gender-reveal party, where her "baby" was revealed to be a girl.
Loved ones and friends say they even bought her expensive items, including a £1,000 pram.
After concerns were raised about the baby, and how Kira did not want to let her family see her, she shared a statement on social media.
Online reports suggest Kira did not allow her partner to attend "doctor's visits" with her.
She reportedly told family and friends that her boyfriend - and his family - were not happy with the news of her "pregnancy," believing the couple had not been together long enough to raise a baby.
Kira put on a convincing act, spending approximately nine months acting as though she was pregnant, using a prosthetic bump, posting fake scan photos, claiming the baby had a medical defect - and even holding a gender-reveal party with pink confetti after learning "baby Bonnie-Leigh" was a girl.
Family members say they were buying baby clothes, prams, and gifts believing the tiny bundle of joy was truly coming.
Suspicions arose when loved ones noticed the "baby" had not cried and that Kira refused to let anyone touch it, claiming the baby had been to hospital for recent check-ups.
Kira's friend Neave McRobert revealed how she pieced together the bizarre case.
In a video statement filmed on October 16, Neave said: "I noticed Kira had deleted every picture and video of Bonnie-Leigh from our chats.
I asked her why and she ignored me.
I then asked the baby's dad 'Is this a doll?', and he said, 'Yes, it's a doll'.
She even went to the extreme of texting him saying, 'Bonnie-Leigh died'.
I can't imagine how he must feel now and everyone else who has been lied to for months and months.
Everybody believed her.
She had a gender reveal, she posted scan photos and even said the baby had a hole in its heart.
Then she texted me saying the baby was born.
We were all so happy." A friend of Kira's family, who asked not to be named, also told the Daily Record of her shock at the news but said she suspected the pregnancy was fake all along.
Describing Kira as a "serial liar", she said: "I have known her for 10 years and she has lied about all sorts." In a further statement, Kira revealed that she had spent time acting as a pregnant woman which fooled even her own family.
She insisted she did not intend to cause any harm, explaining she came clean when the truth was exposed.
Despite her confession, questions remain on how she managed to pull this stunt without her partner or family realizing.
Some reports suggest she possibly used her annual leave to fake maternity leave, but this has not been confirmed, meaning she might not have needed to fill out official forms or make fraudulent claims.
To qualify for paid maternity leave, an employer typically requires a maternity certificate (MATB1) or a doctor's note confirming pregnancy and due date, but proof isn't necessary for actual maternity leave entitlements.
There are also videos and photos surfacing of her purported pregnancy, including footage of her "kicking" the baby, which are now suspected to be fabricated either through AI or filming tricks.
Her partner remained unaware, and social media posts show he believed he was going to be a father.
How exactly she kept this secret remains unclear, but loved ones report that Kira spent months acting as though she was pregnant, even claiming the baby had a heart defect.
When the family finally confronted her, she admitted the baby was a doll, revealing she had faked the entire pregnancy and birth for reasons not specified, causing significant upset to her loved ones.
Ultimately, her deception has come to light following her own social media posts and family reports of her suspicious behavior, including deleting photos and videos of the "baby".
The case highlights her elaborate efforts to deceive her family and friends for months, with the intent still unclear.
