WARNING: This article contains allegations of child abuse.
In a chilling development, the murder trial of a couple from Burlington, Ontario, has now included testimony from the brother of a 12-year-old boy who tragically passed away while the women were in the process of adopting him and his sibling.
Referred to as J.L. for the purposes of this trial coverage, the now 13-year-old boy spoke about his brother, L.L., who died on December 21, 2022.
During the proceedings in Superior Court in Milton on Wednesday, Crown attorneys played a recording of an interview J.L. conducted with Halton regional police in January 2023.
In the recording, a 10-year-old J.L. recounts how Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber restrained him during outbursts by tying him up with zip ties and placing a hockey helmet on him. He also indicated that the couple would make him and L.L. wear wetsuits and confine them to their rooms at night while monitoring them via security cameras.
Cooney and Hamber have both pleaded not guilty to murder, a trial that commenced in mid-September. They have made the same plea regarding charges of confinement, assault with a weapon—specifically zip ties—and failing to provide necessary care for J.L.
In a video testimony arranged by the Crown, J.L. appeared from a separate room in the courthouse. He was accompanied by two support workers and a therapy dog named Nelson for assistance if required.
Younger brother testifies from a separate room
The Crown maintains that Hamber and Cooney, who the Indigenous boys referred to as mom and mama, were responsible for abusing and neglecting the children.
The court has been informed that emergency responders discovered L.L. unresponsive, soaked, and lying on the floor of his locked basement bedroom. Witnesses reported he appeared so malnourished and emaciated that he resembled a six-year-old, despite being twelve. He passed away shortly after being taken to the hospital.
Defense attorneys for the women argue that the couple was doing their utmost to care for children with significant needs and behavioral challenges, while receiving minimal support from the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) and other service providers.
The judge-only trial has included testimony from various witnesses, including first responders, medical professionals, educators, therapists, and doctors, and is projected to continue at least until early December.
In the police recording, J.L. appears to be friendly, articulate, and conscious of his feelings.
Before the interview began, he offered gum to Detective Julie Powers and a CAS worker present during the session.
When asked by Powers about his well-being, J.L. mentioned that his anxiety had been making him feel sick and that although he usually sleeps well, he had been struggling to do so since his brother’s death.
Becky Hamber and Brandy Cooney, left to right, shown on their wedding day, have entered not guilty pleas to first-degree murder and additional charges. (Becky Hamber/Facebook)
J.L. explained that while living with Hamber and Cooney, he followed a daily routine, which included exercise and designated times for activities like reading or coloring with L.L.
The household rules were: “Be respectful. Be honest. Be grateful,” he told Powers.
J.L. recounted that on at least nine occasions, the couple restrained him during tantrums to prevent him from hitting his head, something he did when upset.
“It hurts your shoulders,” he mentioned regarding the restraints. “There’s no need to do that. … It felt like they were angry at me.”
J.L. states he was given pureed food
J.L. also indicated to police that after his outbursts, he was fed pureed food, which he believed was because “tantruming is for babies.”
The defense has claimed that the women occasionally fed the boys using bottles and purees based on a therapist’s recommendation to help them cope with childhood trauma.
In the recording, J.L. described being locked in his room frequently and required to wear a wetsuit while at home. He stated that at night, he was tied up inside a tent on his bed.
According to J.L., the women monitored the boys using security cameras, adding, “I guess they could make sure I was doing everything right.”
After the video was played in court, Crown attorney Kelli Frew inquired if J.L.’s account of living with Cooney and Hamber was accurate. He affirmed that it was.
Following this, the Crown presented a segment of a September 2023 interview J.L. had with Powers. Unlike in the first video, where he sometimes laughed and joked, he spoke softly and lowered his head multiple times.
He shared with Powers that CAS workers had never seen his bedroom, and that Hamber and Cooney would dress him in regular clothes during visits, rather than the wetsuit.
J.L. explained that the women told him it was to prevent the workers from “seeing what I did, but I wasn’t doing anything. I was just living the life that they gave me.”
The Crown intends to continue with the second video when the trial resumes on Thursday.
If you are affected by this report, you may seek mental health support through resources available in your province or territory .