Canada - Ontario doctor saw severely malnourished boy in care of 2 Ontario women just days before his death Dec. 21/2022- trial October 2025

[LadyL]

In the days leading up to his death, a 12-year-old boy in the care of two Burlington, Ont., women was experiencing “severe malnutrition” and weighed less than he did at age 6.

That’s according to Dr. Emma Cory, a pediatrician called by the Crown on Monday as an expert witness at the trial of Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, who’ve pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the proceedings that began last month.

The two were in the process of adopting the boy, known as L.L., and his young brother, referred to in court as J.L. Both boys’ identities are protected under a publication ban.

Cooney and Hamber are also charged with confinement, assault with a weapon — namely zip ties — and failing to provide the necessaries of life to J.L.

*many more terrible details at the link below*

MSN

 

[LadyL]

This case is beyond sickening. Those poor boys. This is a judge-only trial.

I'm curious about this ...

Cooney and Hamber sat hunched over in separate prisoner’s docks, and appeared to be taking notes by hand, rarely looking up.
The two accused are being represented by their own defence.

does this mean they're representing themselves??? I've never heard it worded like that before ...

MSN

 

[Ceedee]

This case is beyond sickening. Those poor boys. This is a judge-only trial.

I'm curious about this ...

Cooney and Hamber sat hunched over in separate prisoner’s docks, and appeared to be taking notes by hand, rarely looking up.
The two accused are being represented by their own defence.

does this mean they're representing themselves??? I've never heard it worded like that before ...

MSN

No, I think they worded it that way to emphasize that although they are being tried together, they each have their own legal teams. Hamber is being represented by Monte MacGregor and Nabeel Sheiban, and Cooney is being represented by Kim Edward.

It makes sense that they’d have separate lawyers as it’s possible one of them could/will try to throw the other under the bus and blame the other, although that hasn’t happened yet and their defences have been pretty cohesive.

 

[Ceedee]

Every day of this trial someone brings a worse detail on a different adult that failed these children. Today, a social worker who was their family therapist testified that although she knew the women were zip-tying the boy’s clothes shut, she never spoke to the women about it directly or called CAS.

Gift link: https://www.thestar.com/news/ontari...e7xYj9Ku-XG6y7Ea1X-VqEVzIkCk2lK7xyQt1seN48X5w

 

[DoodleSleuther22]

What gives them the right to do that to a child!
Not right

 

[ttcRider]

I don't recall ever hearing of this case. Thank you for starting a thread.

 

[LadyL]

No, I think they worded it that way to emphasize that although they are being tried together, they each have their own legal teams. Hamber is being represented by Monte MacGregor and Nabeel Sheiban, and Cooney is being represented by Kim Edward.

It makes sense that they’d have separate lawyers as it’s possible one of them could/will try to throw the other under the bus and blame the other, although that hasn’t happened yet and their defences have been pretty cohesive.

oh ok thanks yeah I take everything literally lol

 

[LadyL]

Every day of this trial someone brings a worse detail on a different adult that failed these children. Today, a social worker who was their family therapist testified that although she knew the women were zip-tying the boy’s clothes shut, she never spoke to the women about it directly or called CAS.

Gift link: Couple’s use of zip ties on boys wasn’t enough to call Children’s Aid, social worker testifies at Ontario murder trial

thank you much appreciated!

 

[Ceedee]

CBC has a good high level overview of some of the evidence presented by the Crown so far: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamber-cooney-trial-9.6952270

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1983562721242096017

 

[Twick]

There has to be significant research into why adoptive parents turn on and torture the children the spent so much time and money adopting.

 

[Dpdan]

Incredibly sad. How will the little brother ever be okay?

I find it odd that the school followed the instructions of the women - why would they ensure the boys finished their lunches, and why would they not allow books? I would have thought if you're in school everyone does the same thing.

 

[Ceedee]

Someone from CAS is finally testifying. The personal and institutional failures from almost every professional involved here are astounding. Gift link: A CAS worker saw a 12-year-old boy three months before his alleged murder. What she saw left her deeply worried

 

[Ceedee]

CBC also published this informative article yesterday: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/cooney-hamber-trial-9.6961836

What’s consistently jumping out at me is that while the foster moms were lining up these services, it doesn’t seem like this child could ever speak with anyone alone - they were always in the room and actively involved in the mostly virtual appointments. He didn’t go to school, and from the earlier testimony it doesn’t seem like he played outside with friends, etc. He never had a chance to speak candidly to someone who could help him.

The Crown needs to prove unlawful confinement for first degree murder here, and that confinement can be physical, psychological or both. I’m curious about how that aspect of this will factor in.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1989401836256694541

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991257491347239361

 

[tara83]

Daily Mail sure loves pointing out that they are lesbians. I'm not sure what that has to do with the crime.

 

[rogue ant]

'Hope he gets an infection': Prospective moms called boy 'loser' in texts years before his death, Ontario murder trial hears​

“No dinner with fam … he can eat outside,” Hamber texted Cooney, along with a largely inaudible audio clip of the boy asking to go outside. When Cooney asks what she wants to do, Hamber responds: “Ignore he’s a loser,” and then, “He’s such a dick.”

The women then refer to the boy cracking his knuckles and picking at his teeth — “Hope he gets an infection,” Hamber says.

 

[Ceedee]

Every day of this is truly worse than the last. Gift article on today’s round of text messages: ‘Do you think he’s dying?’: Prospective mom texted ‘I’m going to jail’ one month before severely malnourished boy’s death

The only potential bright spot here imo is the article noting the judge was requesting pauses to take copious notes and interjecting to ask the police officer witness for evidence on which boy they were referring to when they said they wanted to “murder”. I hope that’s a positive sign of his considering these facts as evidence for a first degree murder conviction.

 

[Tricia]

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