WAUKESHA — Newly released court records allege a woman named Ashley Kinney convinced her family she was pregnant and had a stillborn birth.
In the process, investigators say she received gifts before and after what police are calling a fake pregnancy.
Kinney is charged with identity theft for financial gain and felony bail jumping.
The criminal complaint goes on to claim Kinney forged an application for a stillborn death certificate in the name of an OB-GYN at Waukesha Memorial Hospital. The doctor’s name she allegedly used wasn’t even working there at the time.
Watch: Waukesha woman accused of faking pregnancy for financial gain
Court records take us back to July when prosecutors say Kinney went to a Waukesha funeral home to inquire about a stillborn funeral.
Kinney is accused of telling the funeral director that she had a stillbirth at Waukesha Memorial Hospital three days prior, so the funeral director called the hospital to make funeral arrangements.
According to court documents, hospital staff said, “There was no record of the defendant being a patient at the hospital.”
The funeral director got the police involved to locate the stillborn baby after realizing the remains weren’t at the hospital or the medical examiner’s office.
The criminal complaint alleges Kinney’s step-grandfather told detectives he visited her in mid-June and at the time, “her belly was getting large.”
Prosecutors say two days after the fake stillbirth, the step-grandfather bought her a new vehicle. Court records say he “thought having new things to focus on might help her.”
Prosecutors say Kinney’s mother told them the family threw Kinney a baby shower months earlier and bought her gifts.
Police say Kinney’s mother said her daughter “never let anyone touch or see her belly” and “she never invited anyone to any OB-GYN appointments.”
Police executed a search warrant at Kinney’s home. A Waukesha police detective says he recovered an apparatus made of pillowcases and packing/duct tape that was designed to replicate a pregnant belly.
The criminal complaint alleges Kinney admitted to investigators that “she would put it on and take it off depending on who she was around.”
Detectives say they also went through Kinney’s online search history. It showed she looked for “beautiful stillborn baby photos” and “how late a miscarriage can happen.”
Investigators say they asked Kinney’s sister why Kinney lied about her pregnancy. Her sister replied, “Maybe for money.”
TMJ4 went to Kinney’s listed address to ask her that question.
No one answered the door, but someone came to the upstairs window claiming to be Kinney’s roommate. She said Kinney was there but declined to come out.
Kinney is due back in court next month.
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