In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves through Ontario's legal community, Superior Court Justice Clayton Conlan convicted spouses Becky Hamber and Brandy Cooney of first-degree murder in the death of a 12-year-old boy they had planned to adopt. The verdict, delivered after a marathon trial that featured months of harrowing testimony, also found the women guilty on three counts involving the boy's younger brother: unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, and failing to provide the necessaries of life.
Years of Abuse Unveiled
The court heard that the two brothers were taken from their birth mother in 2017, believing they were going to their "forever home." Instead, they endured years of horrific abuse. They were pulled from school, confined in zip-tied wetsuits and helmets, locked in their rooms like prisoners, denied food, and forced to perform endless stair climbs and other "exercise" as punishment. The oldest child wasted away to skin and bones, weighing the same at 12 as he had at six years old.
The Judge's Scathing Indictment
Justice Conlan called it an "overwhelming case of child abuse and murder," where the boys were "treated like babies and prisoners inside their own home." In his 300-page written ruling, he stated: "I am sure that the accused intended to kill L. The electronic evidence is overwhelming in this regard. The accused loathed and hated their son. They resented him. They were tired of dealing with him." He noted that they persisted in their abuse even as they saw the boy wasting away, demonstrating an intention to kill.
Defense Rejected
Both women, aged 46 and 44, had pleaded not guilty, claiming the child suffered from an untreated eating disorder. But the judge rejected their testimony as "worthless," filled with "contradictions, inconsistencies, and things lacking in basic common sense." He dismissed their claims that the boys caused $60,000 in damages or that L. had broken Hamber's arm, and he found no evidence of an eating disorder.
Attempts to Cover Up
Just three days after L.'s death, the women deleted texts and videos. Recovered by police, these materials revealed their loathing for the boys, referring to them with names like "douche," "barfer," "loser," and "it." One video showed L. so thin that "his bones are visible all down his backside and his upper buttocks. His right arm is the size of a twig." Instead of concern, the mothers used words like "loser, dumbass, d***, and gross."
Life Sentences
Hamber and Cooney received automatic life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years. A sentencing date is expected to be set later this month. The younger brother, J., was taken from the women by child protective services and reunited with his birth mother. He testified in court, speaking for himself and his big brother, describing years of abuse. Justice Conlan said, "I believe J."
In his concluding remarks, the judge expressed compassion that the women never showed: "This court could go on and on but for what purpose other than to, in a way, continue to victimize L. He should be remembered for more than this."
