Closing arguments have concluded in the case against Becky Hamber and Brandy Cooney, two Ontario women charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 12-year-old boy they were in the process of adopting.

The case, which has drawn national attention in Canada, centers on the December 2022 death of the child, identified in court as L.L., at the couple’s home in Burlington, Ontario. The boy was found in a basement bedroom and was reported to weigh just 48 pounds at the time of his death.

Prosecutors allege that Hamber and Cooney subjected L.L. and his younger brother, identified as J.L., to prolonged confinement and abuse. The younger boy told authorities that he and his brother were restrained with zip ties and locked in their rooms for extended periods. The women also face additional charges, including confinement, assault with a weapon, and failure to provide the necessities of life.

A significant portion of the Crown’s case has focused on thousands of text messages exchanged between the two women. During closing arguments, prosecutors highlighted messages in which the pair allegedly expressed concern that L.L. was “going to die,” as well as messages referring to their home as a “prison.”

Other messages presented in court included language that prosecutors argued reflected indifference or hostility toward the children’s suffering. Crown attorneys contended that the texts, along with the physical condition of the boy at the time of his death, demonstrate a pattern of neglect and control that led directly to his death.

Defense attorneys challenged that interpretation, arguing the messages were taken out of context and reflected frustration rather than intent to harm. One defense lawyer described the exchanges as “dark humor,” acknowledging they were troubling but not evidence of criminal conduct consistent with murder.

Medical testimony added further complexity to the case. Michael Pickup, the province’s deputy chief forensic pathologist, told the court that a definitive cause of death could not be determined. Potential contributing factors discussed during the trial included hypothermia and cardiac arrest related to malnutrition.

The defense also raised the possibility that L.L. suffered from an eating disorder and argued the couple had been exploring treatment options prior to his death.

The trial began in September 2025 at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Milton and has spanned several months of testimony. With closing arguments now complete, Justice Clayton Conlan has scheduled an update for April 24, when he is expected to provide an indication of his ruling timeline.

A final decision has not yet been announced.