A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 3 in Milton, Ontario, for Brandy Cooney, 44, and Becky Hamber, 46, who were found guilty of murdering a 12-year-old boy and abusing his younger brother while in their care over several years.

The Superior Court judge, Clayton Conlan, found that the couple harboured deep resentment toward the boys, confining the older child in a 'dungeon-like bedroom' where he eventually died in December 2022.Both women appeared via Zoom from the Vanier Centre for Women and did not address the court during the hearing.

Evidence considered in the trial included testimony from 48 witnesses, 209 exhibits, medical reports, expert opinions, text messages, and the boys' testimonies.The victims, Indigenous brothers from the Ottawa area, lived with Cooney and Hamber from 2017 until the death of the older child.Following L.L.'s death, Children's Aid Society removed his brother, J.L., from the home.Cooney and Hamber now face first-degree murder charges, carrying automatic life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.The case has reignited discussion about the oversight and effectiveness of Ontario's child welfare system.

The biological mother expressed gratitude for the justice process, acknowledging that the verdict cannot undo the trauma but helps her family move forward.Mental health resources are advised for those affected by this report.