‘Shiver shiver dumb f—’: Foster parents forced kids to exercise as they starved them
Inset: Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber (Facebook). Background: The victim's room in a photo taken after he died and filed as a court exhibit. (Ontario Superior Court).
Attorneys have delivered their closing arguments in the trial of two women accused of severely abusing their foster children, a case that ended in the death of one of the boys.
Brandy Cooney, 44, and Becky Hamber, 46, have pleaded not guilty to charges that include first-degree murder, confinement, assault with a weapon, and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The case began after authorities discovered the body of a 12-year-old boy, identified in court as L.L., inside the couple’s home in Milton, Ontario, Canada. On December 21, 2022, emergency responders arrived at the residence and found the boy unresponsive in a locked basement room. He was reportedly soaking wet and covered in vomit. Authorities said the child was extremely emaciated and appeared far younger than his age.
L.L. was later pronounced dead. A pathologist indicated the death may have been caused by hypothermia or cardiac arrest linked to severe malnutrition, though an exact cause could not be definitively determined.
The trial began in September.
A previous foster mother of L.L. and his younger brother, J.L., told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that the case has felt like “the trial that never ends.”
During closing arguments, prosecutors alleged the women deliberately starved the boys and kept them isolated while forcing them to wear wet suits and helmets. Prosecutors argued the treatment reflected deep hostility toward the children. They cited text messages exchanged between the women, including one message that read, “Shiver shiver dumb f–,” and another suggesting exercise as a way for the boys to keep warm.
Prosecutor Monica MacKenzie also highlighted a message Cooney allegedly sent to Hamber about a month before L.L.’s death, which read: “Unfortunately my thoughts [are] he is suddenly going to die and im going to jail.” MacKenzie argued the message showed the women were aware their actions could have deadly consequences.
Defense attorneys countered that the children were extremely difficult to manage and argued that measures such as helmets and wet suits were intended to prevent self-harm and to manage bathroom accidents. The defense also said that child welfare workers and medical professionals who visited the home were aware of the women’s methods and did not raise concerns at the time.
Because the case is being heard without a jury, Superior Court Justice Clayton Conlan will determine the verdict.
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