CONTENT WARNING: This article contains information about alleged child abuse and mentions discussions of suicide.
During the ongoing first-degree murder trial in Milton Superior Court, one of the two Ontario women charged in the death of a boy under their care testified for the first time. Becky Hamber revealed that she and her spouse, Brandy Cooney, faced challenges in obtaining the necessary assistance for the boy they were looking after.
In her testimony, Hamber disclosed that they were unaware of the boy’s significant behavioral issues before he and his younger sibling came to live with them. She shared how the older boy exhibited sudden violent behavior, and when they sought help from the Children’s Aid Society, they didn’t always receive adequate support.
Hamber recounted an incident in 2018 when the boy, referred to as L.L. in the trial, verbally attacked her and pushed her down a staircase, resulting in a leg injury. On that day, Cooney took the boy, who also expressed suicidal thoughts, to a nearby hospital, where he was hospitalized for several days.
During questioning by Monte MacGregor, Hamber’s lawyer, she confirmed that they did not receive any guidance or strategies to manage the child’s outbursts at that time.
Dr. Alan Brown, a child psychiatrist, testified earlier that L.L. likely had several mental health conditions, although the couple’s described behaviors were not observed by his team. Brown acknowledged that children’s behaviors can vary depending on the environment.
(Name withheld)
Both Cooney and Hamber, residents of Burlington, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to L.L.’s death and mistreatment of his brother, J.L. The identities of the Indigenous boys are shielded under a publication ban.
The prosecution alleges that the couple developed animosity towards the boys over the five years they lived together.
Evidence presented during the trial indicated that the women subjected the boys to verbal abuse, physical restraints, isolation, and enforced vigorous activities and dietary restrictions.
According to the defendants and their legal representatives, they struggled to care for children with complex needs due to insufficient support from authorities and healthcare professionals.
Cooney asserted previously that while L.L. was not forced to exercise and received sufficient food, she did admit to using restraints.
L.L. passed away at the age of 12 in December 2022. Paramedics discovered him unresponsive, malnourished, and lying in the basement with his bedroom locked from outside. Despite his age, he appeared much younger and tragically died shortly after arrival at the hospital.
J.L., now 13, also provided testimony at the trial.
Questioning About Food Choices
During the recent proceedings, MacGregor questioned Hamber extensively about her interactions with the boys, including their dietary habits. Notably, he referenced social media posts showing meals suited for children with special needs.
J.L. mentioned that at one point, he was only given pureed food by Hamber and Cooney. Hamber defended the meals as nutritious and typical for the boys, featuring items like quesadillas, pizza, and breakfast sandwiches.
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