The murder trial of two Burlington, Ontario, women has heard chilling details about the final months of a 12-year-old boy's life, including text messages where the accused discussed drowning him and claims he was a "horrible" child. Becky Hamber, 46, and Brandy Cooney, 44, have pleaded not guilty to murder in the boy's December 21, 2022 death. They have also pleaded not guilty to forcible confinement, assault, and failing to provide the necessaries of life to the victim's younger brother.
A 'Forever Home' Turns Tragic
The couple had taken in the two brothers in 2017 with plans to adopt them and provide a "forever home" in their Burlington bungalow. Five years later, the older boy was dead, found emaciated and unresponsive in his basement bedroom. His younger brother was seized by children's aid, and the two foster mothers were arrested.
Testifying in her own defense at the judge-alone trial in Milton, Hamber broke down in tears when describing the scene of finding the boy. She said she heard her wife scream and raced downstairs to find an overwhelming stench of vomit and urine. The child was lying motionless in a pool of liquid, his face blue, while still wearing a zip-tied wet suit.
Disturbing Texts and Harsh Restraints Revealed
The court was presented with pages of text messages recovered from the women's phones. In one exchange, Cooney had written, "Kill them if they break it," to which Hamber replied, "drown 'em in their poo." Hamber explained to the court they used "them" pronouns because the older boy had identified as non-binary. She characterized the texts as a way to vent frustration, calling the language "really negative" and saying she was "deeply shocked and ashamed."
Evidence showed the brothers were subjected to severe restraints and punishments. Court heard the boys were often locked in their rooms, forced to wear zip-tied wet suits, and made to wear a hockey helmet or a rain jacket tied like a straightjacket. Hamber defended these actions as necessary to deal with the children's violent "behaviours," claiming they were never warned about the boys' potential for violence.
She also described prescribing "exercises" like endless stair climbs not as punishment, but to regulate the boys' moods. A video shown in court depicted the painfully thin older boy, confined in a hockey helmet, marching weakly up the stairs.
Defense Claims Lack of Support and Undiagnosed Disorder
Both women insist they did not receive adequate support from child welfare authorities. Hamber testified that the older boy had an untreated eating disorder, which she believed explained his drastic weight loss. She claimed that despite his emaciated state, he maintained his energy levels, so she had no dire concerns.
The defense also highlighted an incident about a month before the boy's death that they say should have raised alarms with support workers. Hamber said the child tripped, bumped his head, and began shivering with "wonky eyes" and incoherent speech. After googling symptoms, they placed him in a warm bath for an hour instead of taking him to a doctor or hospital. Hamber stated they reported the incident to their Children's Aid Society worker.
Under questioning from her lawyer, Monte MacGregor, Hamber was asked directly if she ever wanted the boy to die or took action to kill him. "No, I did not," she insisted, her voice shaking. Her cross-examination by Crown attorney Kelli Frew is scheduled to continue next week. The trial continues as the court seeks to determine responsibility in a case that has shocked the local community.
