This story completely stopped me in my tracks for a minute because it is so grueling to read. A Canadian couple found themselves facing some grave charges over the fact that a 12-year-old boy they had wanted to adopt died in their care. It is said in court that the boy was kept locked inside a bedroom in the basement for almost 18 hours straight every single day.
The couple, Becca Hamber, 45, and Brandy Cooney, 43, are on trial after the child died, weighing just 48 pounds. I just felt unreal reading that. I remember that much down the line, when my younger cousin was around that age, and he was an energy bomb. Just thinking about a 12-year-old weighing that low seems so off.
The prosecution told the court that the boy was locked in the bedroom in the basement from about 6 pm. until noon the next day. He would sometimes be let out to go to the bathroom at night. But even that was with assistance, because the couple allegedly had them wear wetsuits that were tied so they could not be removed.
Things took a turn for the worse, with a lurking allegation that cameras had been installed inside the room. The boys were being punished by being made to do exercises under surveillance. Some of these included burpees, wall sits, walking rounds, and reading. Cooney said in court that burpees were often done as punishment. A further disturbing text was presented in court. On Christmas Eve, Cooney texted Hamber something alarming: the children had figured out burpees in the shower after complaining about not having food. At this point, the boys were only 10 and 8 years old.
Cooney testified on behalf of the defense, seeking to paint a different picture. She said that she and Hamber were loving but overwhelmed. She blamed the boys’ behavior on early trauma and developmental problems. She said she believed the child’s low weight was due to frequent regurgitation. The prosecutors vehemently distanced themselves from that explanation.
The surviving younger brother gave testimony last month. Some of the hardest to listen to in court were his comments that while the couple posted glamorous photos of lavish meals online, he and his brother subsisted on pureed food. He reported seeing his older brother getting weaker, bit by bit, from acute malnutrition before death on December 10.
A pediatric doctor, Dr. Emma Cory, testified to the court that, when he died, the boy weighed less than he had when he was 6 years old. At one point, this boy weighed just 43 pounds. Even one defense attorney claimed that the child looked like a Holocaust survivor, which goes to show how bad his condition was.
Cooney also testified that sometimes boys were put in wetsuits and helmets. She claimed that was to keep the boys from injuring themselves or injuring the adults. There had been many injuries, she claimed, and the boys had been kicked or hit a lot. One of the injuries she talked about was one where a child pushed Hamber and broke her arm. But prosecutors say there are no medical records whatsoever that relate to the existence of that injury.
Both women denied the charges. Hamber will probably testify in January 2026.
Two women face over 900 criminal charges each after they allegedly abused their adopted teenage son for over a year, including duct-taping him to his bedroom floor and refusing to feed him.
READ MORE: https://t.co/PpFdBd4PcD pic.twitter.com/WbViL6LZyb
— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) December 12, 2025
From a personal angle, I, as one who grew up with parents who would get angry over small things, take the case personally. As a child, I could not imagine being locked away for almost the whole day. Kids mess up, kids act out, but this level of control and punishment comes across as being cruel. Heavy and angry is just how this whole case makes you feel. You may also be interested in: Army Gynecologist Charged After Secretly Recording Patients During Medical Exams
