The trial of two women from Burlington, Ontario, facing charges related to the death of a 12-year-old boy under their care has heard testimonies from various professionals involved in the mental health treatment of the child and his sibling. Witnesses, including a social worker, therapist, psychiatrist, and service coordinator, stated that Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber expressed struggles in caring for the boys, whom they believed had undergone trauma, and were actively seeking additional assistance. Testimony revealed concerns about the children’s well-being, with one worker noting “yellow flags” related to their care.
The older boy, identified as L.L., passed away in December 2022. The identities of L.L. and his younger brother, J.L., are protected under a publication ban. Cooney and Hamber, who were in the process of adopting the two Indigenous brothers at the time of L.L.’s death, have entered not guilty pleas to charges of first-degree murder, confinement, assault with a weapon (zip ties), and failure to provide the necessities of life to J.L.
The trial, presided over by Justice Clayton Conlan in Milton, began last month and is expected to continue until December. The prosecution has alleged that Cooney and Hamber mistreated and neglected L.L. and J.L., subjecting them to confinement, food restrictions, and physical restraint with zip ties. The court was informed that emergency services were contacted on the night of L.L.’s health crisis, but the exact cause of his death remains undetermined following an autopsy that revealed severe malnutrition.
During the proceedings, a social worker, Stefanie Peachey, testified that she never witnessed the behaviors reported by the accused while interacting with the boys. Peachey expressed discomfort over certain parenting strategies employed by Cooney and Hamber, including the use of zip ties on J.L., but did not escalate the concerns to child services. The defense team contended that the accused were attempting to seek help for the brothers, citing the challenging behaviors exhibited by L.L. and suggesting the boys had experienced significant trauma prior to being under their care.
Furthermore, a psychiatrist testified that L.L. likely suffered from multiple mental health disorders, including disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, PTSD, reactive attachment disorder, and ADHD. The psychiatrist noted that despite requests for extended hospitalization, L.L. did not exhibit self-harm tendencies and had access to support services at home. The defense emphasized the defendants’ efforts to address the boys’ needs and their struggles in managing L.L.’s behavior. Dr. Alan Brown acknowledged the possibility of children displaying different behaviors in various settings but did not observe the extreme conduct described by the accused during his interactions with L.L.