Murder trial resumes for Ontario couple who’d been trying to adopt 12-year-old boy who died

What to know about trial proceedings today

Becky Hamber, 46, is expected to return to the witness box today in Milton, Ont., to speak in her own defence for the fourth time. 

She and her wife, Brandy Cooney, 44, are still on trial for the alleged murder of a boy in their care, L.L. They also face various other charges for allegedly torturing his younger brother, J.L., who is now 13.

The couple was trying to adopt the siblings, who lived with them for around five years.

After giving evidence for three straight days last week, Hamber said she was growing tired and was struggling to understand questions from a Crown prosecutor. Proceedings are scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. ET. 

The Burlington couple has faced a range of questions about their life at home after the boys came into their care – from the methods they used to control the brothers’ behaviour and freedom in the house, to the way they responded when they found L.L. unresponsive on their basement floor before he died in 2022.

Lawyers have also asked about the involvement of children’s aid services, whose workers visited the Cooney-Hamber home to check on the brothers multiple times. Hamber has told the court that children’s aid workers and health professionals knew about their decisions at home and did not raise any issues with them.

Hamber and Cooney have both pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in connection with L.L.’s death, as well as various other charges related to J.L.