A pregnant Missouri mother of five, Braisen Cain, 42, was killed on August 6 after being run over by a pickup truck and then shot more than 20 times. Her ex-boyfriend, Arel Dawkins, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the crime.
At approximately 7:51 a.m. on August 6, Kansas City police arrived at a home on Morrell Ave. and found Braisen Cain lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite efforts to save her, Cain was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness, who knew both Cain and Dawkins, told police she heard gunshots and saw Dawkins shooting at Cain. She said Dawkins stopped to reload his gun before shooting her again. After firing multiple rounds, the witness claimed she saw Dawkins get into his Ford F-150 and leave the scene.
According to the witness, Cain had recently broken up with Dawkins and was pregnant with his child at the time of her death. Detectives later obtained surveillance footage that showed Dawkins’ truck running over Cain in her yard before Dawkins exited the vehicle. The video reportedly shows him shooting Cain multiple times at close range while she was lying on the ground.
The footage also shows Dawkins walking away but then turning back and firing twice more before driving off. Authorities later discovered that Dawkins had confessed to the murder during a phone call with family members, and he also reportedly threatened to commit suicide. He was arrested in Springfield, Missouri, without incident.
As Dawkins awaits his court date, Cain’s family and friends are left grieving her tragic death. Cain, a teacher and mother of five boys, was described by her loved ones as a kind and caring person. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support Cain’s children and help cover her funeral expenses. Her friend, Tricia DeGraff, who created the campaign, shared that Braisen was “one of the most loving, kind, and caring individuals you could ever meet.”
It is currently unclear whether Dawkins has an attorney who will speak on his behalf.
