First-degree murder charges laid against prospective adoptive parents of boy found dead in Burlington, Ont. home: police
Police say first-degree murder charges have now been laid against the prospective adoptive parents of a 12-year-old boy who was found dead at a home in Burlington more than a year ago.
According to police, officers and other emergency personnel were called to a residence in Burlington shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2022. A 12-year-old boy was found without vital signs and was pronounced dead a short time later.
Police said a “lengthy investigation” followed and on Feb. 29, 2024, the child’s prospective adoptive parents were arrested.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
In a news release, investigators said Becky Hamber, 44, of Burlington, and 42-year-old Brandy Cooney, of Hamilton, have been charged with first-degree murder and failure to provide the necessaries of life.
Both of the accused were held for a bail hearing on March 1st, police said.
Investigators said the accused were also the prospective adoptive parents to a younger sibling of the deceased child, who was living in the home in December 2022.
Following an investigation in relation to the younger sibling, police said the two accused were charged in January 2023 with assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, failure to provide the necessaries of life, and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
None of the charges haven been tested in court.
In a statement, Janice Robinson, the executive director of the Halton Children's Aid Society, said the organization is "cooperating fully" with the police investigation.
"Upon learning of the death of an Indigenous child in our care on December 21, 2022, our organization was devastated," the statement read.
"We immediately conducted an internal review and we engaged an independent third-party reviewer to examine child safety and adherence to standards. We have been absolutely committed to learning everything we can about what happened in this case."
The statement went on to say that the safety and wellbeing of the children in its care is the organization's top priority.
"Our profound thoughts and condolences continue to be with the family and the Indigenous community," the statement continued.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.