Kansas City, MO — August 11, 2025 — A deeply disturbing crime unfolded on the evening of August 6, when 42-year-old Brasien Cain, a beloved teacher and mother of five, was fatally attacked by her ex-boyfriend, 36-year-old Arel Dawkins, in her own front yard on Morrell Avenue in the Scarritt Point neighborhood of northeast Kansas City.

At approximately 7:51 p.m., Kansas City police were called to the scene, where they discovered Cain lying lifeless with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to court records and eyewitness reports, Cain had recently ended her relationship with Dawkins, who was the father of her unborn child. Surveillance footage and eyewitness testimony captured the horrific sequence: Dawkins allegedly ran Cain over with his Ford F-150 before exiting the vehicle, which then rolled backward. Armed with a .40-caliber pistol, he fired 21 rounds at Cain at close range, stopped to reload, and continued shooting as she lay on the ground.

Further accounts reveal a chilling confession: Dawkins is reported to have admitted to the crime during a phone call with a high school acquaintance and separately with his family—including threats of suicide. His loved ones called 911, reporting the confession. Authorities used cellphone tracking data to locate and apprehend Dawkins in Springfield, Missouri, where he was taken into custody without incident and remains held without bond at Greene County Jail.

Following the killing, Dawkins was formally charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action by Jackson County prosecutors.

Cain was more than just a victim—she was a dedicated teacher at the Academy for Integrated Arts in Kansas City and a loving mother to five boys, aged between 2 and 19. Her sudden and tragic death has sent shockwaves through the community. A GoFundMe campaign has since been established to assist with funeral expenses and to support her children. In heartfelt words, a family member called Cain “one of the most loving, kind and caring individuals you could ever meet.”