A Burlington couple convicted of first-degree murder in the horrific abuse death of their adopted son was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Justice Clayton Conlan handed down the mandatory life sentences with no parole eligibility for 25 years to Becky Hamber, 47, and Brandy Cooney, 45, in a Milton courtroom.
Judge Condemns 'Highly Aggravating' Case
Justice Conlan described the moral blameworthiness of the two women as 'as high as could possibly be imagined.' In May, the couple was found guilty of murder, forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, and failure to provide the necessaries of life at a judge-alone trial. Conlan stated that the pair 'hated and resented the children.'
On Dec. 21, 2022, a 12-year-old boy identified only as L.L. died of malnourishment at the Burlington home he shared with Hamber, Cooney, and his brother, J.L. Court evidence revealed the siblings were forced to wear wetsuits and endure stair climbs as punishment.
Victim Impact Statements and Self-Pity
Numerous victim impact statements left the courtroom in tears. J.L., the boys' former foster mother, and their biological mother read statements. Hamber and Cooney also addressed the court, expressing self-pity rather than remorse. Hamber said, 'None of this is what we planned for, but we are still blessed in many ways. We have the truth always.' She apologized for harm caused but cloaked the torture death in 'good intentions' and claimed she was made to look 'evil and psychotic.'
Cooney minimized her role, reading a poem and describing her circumstances as 'Kafkaesque.' She said, 'Trauma and grief affect my everyday life' and called her ordeal a 'political bureaucracy nightmare.' She added, 'Wrongful conviction doesn’t help J.L.,' hoping witnesses would come forward to free them.
Additional Sentences and Indictment of Child Services
Conlan also sentenced the duo to three years for forcible confinement, two years for assault with a weapon, and five years for failure to provide the necessities of life, to be served concurrently. The months-long court proceedings were an indictment of child services in two jurisdictions. The two Indigenous boys were in the process of being adopted by Hamber and Cooney, who denied their heritage.
One of L.L.'s teachers, Sara Biasetti, told CBC News outside the courthouse she found it 'sickening' to listen to the killer couple. Victim impact statements described Hamber and Cooney as 'sadistic' people who 'fed off each other.'
Aftermath and Legal Options
Hamber's lawyer, Monte MacGregor, said outside court his client was entitled to appeal but noted he typically did not handle appeals. He hoped all parties involved in the tragedy would be held accountable. As the proceedings concluded, police led Hamber and Cooney out to begin serving their life sentences. One person in the gallery waved and offered a bitter, 'bye bye.'
