Burlington women found guilty of killing 12-year-old boy, confining younger brother

Two Burlington women have been found guilty for the murder of a 12-year-old boy in their care and for the unlawful confinement of his younger brother.

Justice Conlan read his verdict to a Milton, Ont. courtroom Tuesday morning just after 9 a.m., declaring the women “guilty on all counts.” Conlan stated that the evidence showed Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber “loathed and hated” the child they were meant to protect and intended to kill him.

The judge says the reasons for his verdict are about 300 pages long, and chose to only read the conclusion.

The boy died in December 2022 after being starved and confined to a basement room.

First responders described finding the child in an emaciated state, noting he was so “razor-thin” it was difficult to believe he was 12 years old. Medical professionals and investigators involved in the case reported being scarred by the conditions the boy endured.

Evidence presented in court detailed a horrific pattern of abuse. The boy was undernourished, forced to wear a wetsuit at night, urinate in the wetsuit with zip-ties around the legs, and was referred to by the prospective mothers as “douche,” “barfer,” “loser,” “moron” and other names that are more offensive.

Justice Conlan rejected the defense statements from Cooney and Hamber, labeling their testimony “worthless,” “absurd,” and “not reliable.”

The evidence told of how the boy who can’t be identified was abused and starved until he died.

At one point, the judge said a picture shows “he is so thin it is hard to describe it in words. His bones are visible all down his backside.”

Justice Conlan concluded “I am sure that the accused intended to kill” the child.

WATCH MORE: Crown says Burlington couple tortured, isolated boys in fatal abuse case

In addition to first-degree murder, the women were convicted of forcible confinement, assault with a weapon and failing to provide the necessities of life. These charges also include the abuse of the boy’s younger brother, who survived the ordeal and has since been removed from the home.

The case has sparked intense scrutiny of Ontario’s child welfare system. 

Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, called the details of the case “deeply troubling” but declined further comment due to the potential appeal period. He noted the government is currently working to improve child welfare across the province.

Members of the Indigenous community say the system failed the children, who were Indigenous. Local artist Amber Kakiishiway argued that the outcome might have been different if the community had been involved.

“These children were traumatized,” Kakiishiway said. “We have aunties, we have uncles, we have the elders that are more than willing to help, but I don’t believe that they were involved at all.”

Kakiishiway added that there should be accountability within children’s services for the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue. The younger brother has had no contact with the two women since his rescue.

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