A pregnant Missouri mother of five was killed after being run over with a pickup truck and then shot more than 20 times. Her ex-boyfriend is now accused of her murder.
Police say Arel Dawkins, from Blue Springs, was arrested on Aug. 6 and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 42-year-old Braisen Cain.
Officers responded to a home on Morrell Avenue in Kansas City around 7:50 a.m. that day. They found Cain, a teacher and mother of five boys, lying on the ground with many gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness told police she heard gunshots from inside her home. When she looked outside, she saw Dawkins shooting at Cain, reloading, and firing again. She said Cain had recently broken up with Dawkins and was pregnant with his child.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators reportedly shows Dawkins driving his Ford F-150 onto Cain’s yard and running her over. He then got out of the truck, pointed a gun at Cain as she lay in the grass, and shot her several times at close range.
According to police, Dawkins walked away but turned back twice to shoot again before getting into his truck and driving off. He later allegedly admitted to killing Cain during a phone call with family members and threatened to kill himself. Dawkins was arrested in Springfield, Missouri, without incident.
Cain’s friends and family are now mourning her loss. A GoFundMe has been started to help with funeral costs and support her children. Organizer Tricia DeGraff described Cain as “one of the most loving, kind and caring individuals you could ever meet.”
It is not yet known if Dawkins has an attorney to speak for him.
