Kira Cousins, 23, from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, has broken her silence after faking a pregnancy and passing off a lifelike reborn doll as her daughter Bonnie-Leigh Joyce. The bizarre hoax, which spanned several months, included a gender reveal party, fake scan images, and AI-generated footage of a baby moving in her womb.
The Deception Unfolds
Cousins admitted she allowed her former partner Jamie Gardner to believe she was pregnant after suffering a miscarriage. She donned a prosthetic baby bump, posted pictures of baby clothing and gifts including a £1,000 pram and car seat, and even wrote about hospital visits, claiming antenatal tests revealed a heart defect.
“I couldn't tell him. I did lose a child. I'd tried to tell him when I first lost the child,” she told the Record. “I still have messages on my phone which said, 'Jamie, we need to sit down,' but I couldn't speak to him about anything.”
The elaborate ruse spiraled out of control as she feared coming clean. “I think there was a bit of fear and shock as well. I'd gone through that myself. How do you tell someone that you've already gone through all that by yourself?” she explained.
Boyfriend's Perspective
Jamie Gardner initially believed he had become a father and said he would not have stayed had he known the truth. “If I had ever known that was really a doll, I'd have run off sooner. I've not got a clue what really happened to be honest,” he said.
Gardner disputed Cousins' claim that she tried to tell him about the miscarriage, stating he has no recollection of such an attempt. He declined to comment further on their relationship.
Family Involvement and Discovery
Cousins kept her own family at bay, refusing to let anyone near the doll except herself and Jamie. “All of my family had been asking, 'What is going on?' Is she depressed? because I wouldn't let anyone near that doll, only me and Jamie,” she said.
The deception was uncovered in October when Cousins' mother found the lifelike doll hidden in her bedroom. Suspicion had grown after younger relatives noticed the “baby” didn't cry during a car journey and voiced doubts. Days later, Cousins confessed to Jamie, who called her a “psycho” and walked out. Gardner, however, disputes that she told him directly, saying he found out through other means.
Aftermath and Public Reaction
Cousins later claimed that those who believed the doll was real should have known. “If they didn't, they were stupid,” she asserted. She also alleged that Jamie had cared for the doll during visits to his parents' home, which he declined to address.
Despite the scandal, Cousins said she and Gardner have spoken several times since. “We don't hate each other, but we don't love each other,” she said. Gardner, however, wants to move on: “I want to get as far away from her as possible. I just want to move on with my life.”
Cousins also revealed she pulled out of a planned television documentary about the hoax, fearing how it would be edited. Gardner declined to participate.
