Ontario Moms Accused of Torturing and Starving 12-Year-Old Boy to Death
In a harrowing case that has shocked the community, two Ontario mothers are on trial for the alleged torture and starvation death of a 12-year-old boy in their care. Prosecutors delivered their final arguments in a Milton courtroom, painting a grim picture of systematic abuse that led to the child's demise in December 2022.
Horrific Conditions Revealed in Court
Becky Hamber, 46, and Brandy Cooney, 44, have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, and failure to provide the necessaries of life. The Crown alleges the couple subjected two brothers they planned to adopt to unimaginable cruelty over five years.
According to prosecutors Kelli Frew and Monica MacKenzie, the boys were:
- Locked in solitary confinement in their Burlington home
- Forced to wear zip-tied wetsuits and hockey helmets as restraint
- Deliberately starved to the point of severe malnourishment
- Deprived of basic comforts including blankets and proper clothing
A Life of Performative Parenting and Hidden Abuse
The Crown argued that while Hamber and Cooney presented themselves as caring parents on social media, posting images of delicious food and toys, the reality was starkly different. "It is all performative for them," MacKenzie told Superior Court Justice Clayton Conlan, describing how the children were denied access to the very items showcased online.
Text messages entered as evidence allegedly reveal the mothers referring to themselves as "prison guards" who grew to hate the boys. Prosecutors claim the couple isolated the children from each other and the outside world while telling others the boys were violent and unmanageable.
The Tragic Final Months
The 12-year-old victim was found unresponsive on December 21, 2022, in his cold basement bedroom. He was discovered in a soaking wetsuit lying in a pool of water, weighing the same as he had at age six. Although the pathologist couldn't determine an exact cause of death, prosecutors argued severe malnourishment made him susceptible to hypothermia.
Court heard disturbing details about the boy's final weeks:
- In November 2022, the boy experienced severe hypothermia symptoms but instead of calling 911, Hamber allegedly Googled treatment advice
- Within days of this near-fatal episode, the mothers resumed restraining him and forcing stair climbs as punishment
- Video evidence shows the emaciated child crying about hunger while being belittled for requesting food
Conflicting Defense Arguments
The defense maintains the boy suffered from untreated eating disorders and his death wasn't foreseeable. Hamber's lawyer Monte MacGregor argued, "It may be a failure on many fronts, but she did everything she could to get him help, medical help, for his eating disorder."
However, prosecutors countered that:
- The child was never formally diagnosed with any eating disorder
- When offered placement at an eating disorders program in October 2022, Hamber declined
- Medical experts testified that someone with binge-eating disorder wouldn't experience such extreme weight loss
Final Moments and Cover-Up Allegations
On the night of the boy's death, prosecutors allege the mothers were attempting to rewarm him in an outdoor hot tub before finally calling 911. MacKenzie suggested they carried the child inside on an ice fishing toboggan and "dumped" him on his bedroom floor to cover their tracks, explaining the pool of water found around his body.
Justice Conlan, who has presided over the marathon trial since last fall, appeared skeptical of the defense's claims during proceedings. Regarding the November hypothermia incident, he remarked, "To suggest that the boy did not need urgent medical care on that occasion ... is absurd."
The Crown concluded that the evidence against Hamber and Cooney is "overwhelming" and urged a guilty verdict on all counts. Justice Conlan has reserved his judgment in this disturbing case that has exposed alleged child abuse of the most severe nature.
