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

The trial of two Burlington women accused of abusing, torturing and starving two young boys in their care heard final arguments today.

One of the boys died, and according to testimony, he was alone in a basement room where he’d be kept locked up for hours on end. Now, the two would-be mothers are on trial for murder.

The Crown prosecutor presented her final argument to the judge today, saying the couple who wanted to adopt the boys made themselves out to be the victims of the boys – troubled youngsters with behavioural problems. But she says “there’s no credibility there.”

The 12-year-old at the centre of this trial was found with no vital signs in the basement of a house in Burlington in December 2022, and died in hospital.

He was small for his age and undernourished, at just 48 pounds. His brother who’s now 13 also lived in the home. They can’t be identified.

The two women, Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, are charged with confinement, assault with a weapon, failing to provide the necessaries of life and first-degree murder.

Crown Prosecutor Kelli Frew says the two women said they were “eager to give a loving home to a child” as they prepared to adopt the boys, but says Hamber “was unable to keep her lies straight.”

The court heard the women pulled the boys out of school, kept them isolated, even from each other, restricted their access to food, the toilet, outside activity and medical care.

The surviving boy testified they used extreme exercise like burpees as punishment.

And they made the boys wear wetsuits with zip-ties keeping them on – the women said this was done to keep the boys from hurting themselves. The Crown said that was torture and assault with a weapon.

WATCH MORE: First-degree murder trial of two Burlington women continues

The Crown prosecutor says the parents went to great lengths to hide the truth of what was happening to the boys. She says they controlled access to the boys for doctors, for child welfare officials and for schools.

Hamber’s defence lawyer Monte MacGregor also wrapped up his submissions today.

He argued that the two women were doing the best they could since the two boys had severe behavioural issues.

MacGregor says his client loved the boys and did everything she could to get help. But says they weren’t prepared for the true nature of the boys.

He says the women gave them a clean, safe home, but were failed by schools, children’s aid and doctors who didn’t provide the help they needed.

Evidence at the trial also showed the two women exchanged text messages in which they referred to the boys as “it” and “loser” and other offensive names.

The defence says that was awful, but a cathartic exchange of frustration in the face of the most difficult children they’d ever encountered.

The Crown says the two women also constantly controlled the behaviour of the two boys, including while they were still going to school.

Justice Clayton Conlan commented today that he doesn’t know why, in his words, “somebody at school didn’t have the guts to say to Hamber and Cooney, you look after them at home and we’ll look after them at school.”

This is a judge-alone trial and he’ll bring in the verdict following these final submissions.

WATCH MORE: Burlington prospective parents on trial for first-degree murder of 12-year-old boy