In a shocking case from Burlington, Ontario, a foster mother accused of murder recorded a series of self-pitying videos in which she blamed nearly everyone but herself for the death of her 12-year-old foster son and the subsequent legal fallout.
A Tragic Discovery and Serious Charges
Becky Hamber, 46, and her wife Brandy Cooney, 44, are on trial for first-degree murder in the death of the boy, who was found emaciated and unresponsive in their home on December 21, 2022. The child, whose identity is protected, was discovered soaking wet in a wetsuit, described as wasted to the size of a child half his age.
The couple, who had taken in the boy and his younger brother in 2017 with the promise of a "forever family," also face numerous abuse charges related to the surviving sibling. Both brothers were said to be of Indigenous heritage and to have complex mental health needs.
Damning Evidence and Disturbing Allegations
During the trial, the court heard harrowing testimony from the younger brother. He stated that by 2022, he was confined to his room "92% of the time" and was forced to sleep in a tent on his bed that was zip-tied shut. His diet was restricted to pureed food, and he was subjected to punitive exercises, such as marching up and down stairs while wearing a hockey helmet.
The Crown's case included text messages and recordings seized from the women's devices, in which the boys were referred to with derogatory names like "loser." The final witness, Halton Regional Police Sergeant Julie Powers, presented a series of videos Hamber made on a laptop after her arrest in January 2023.
"Woe Is Me": The Video Monologues
In these recordings, Hamber portrays herself as the victim. In a video from May 1, 2023, she complains of being "persecuted," citing bail conditions that barred her from her home and the "cruel and unusual punishment" of separation from Cooney. "I cry all the time, day and night, night terrors, nightmares, flashbacks, you name it, it's all happening," she said.
Another video from June 5, 2023, treats the boy's death as a mere footnote. "So unfortunately, things happened. And one child was lost suddenly and tragically," Hamber stated, before launching into a complaint about the Children's Aid Society (CAS) taking her other foster son "without cause."
She spun a conspiracy theory, suggesting CAS was using the surviving child to make false allegations to cover up the agency's own mistake of incorrectly informing them the boys were Indigenous. "CAS has everything to lose although they're allegedly and seemingly untouchable by anyone, including God," she claimed.
Denials and Deflections of Responsibility
In a September 26, 2023 video, Hamber addressed the allegations of abuse directly. She defended zip-tying the tent, claiming it was to prevent the boy from gorging on food or harming pets at night, and said it was removed after two nights on a worker's advice. The zip-tied hockey helmet was merely to "calm him down," not for punishment, she insisted.
Perhaps most strikingly, in an October 5, 2023 video marking six years since the boys' arrival, Hamber proclaimed she felt no personal responsibility. "I don't have regrets, I don't have guilt, I don't have blame," she said, before assigning fault to CAS and the boys' school for failing to provide proper support. "And so you guys have accountability," she concluded. Her wife, Brandy Cooney, is expected to testify in the ongoing trial.
