WARNING: The following contains allegations of child abuse.
An emaciated 12-year-old boy, identified as L.L., visited his family physician for an annual checkup just eight days before his tragic death while under the care of two women in Burlington, Ontario.
Dr. Graeme (Stephen) Duncan testified before the court in Milton Superior Court during the trial of Becky Hamber and Brandy Cooney, who have denied charges of first-degree murder in connection with the boy they were attempting to adopt.
During the December 13, 2022 appointment, L.L. had exhibited significant weight loss, losing around 10 pounds within a year, weighing less than his six-year-old self, and showing a halt in growth, as per Duncan’s observations.
Duncan, a family physician with 2,200 patients in Halton region, shared that Hamber and Cooney had informed him of L.L.’s supposed eating disorder and daily vomiting habits. He had already made a referral to an eating disorder clinic before the appointment.
Monte McGregor, Hamber’s lawyer, highlighted during cross-examination that based on prior scans and tests, Duncan should have been aware that L.L. was at risk of a fatal cardiac event due to severe malnourishment.
It was revealed that L.L. had even shrunk since his previous checkup with Duncan the year before.
Doctor’s Oversight Highlighted in Court
Duncan acknowledged that he did not adhere to the Canadian Paediatric Society’s guidelines during the checkup, failing to inquire about L.L.’s eating habits, conduct a full physical examination, or check his blood pressure while in different positions to assess the effects of malnutrition.
Despite L.L.’s alarming weight suggesting severe malnourishment, Duncan did not recommend immediate medical attention or an ambulance during the appointment.
On December 21, 2022, L.L. was discovered in a critical state in Hamber’s and Cooney’s basement and later passed away in the hospital.
A pathologist’s testimony indicated uncertainty regarding the cause of L.L.’s death, considering factors like hypothermia and cardiac arrest linked to severe malnourishment.
The two accused women were also in the process of adopting L.L.’s younger brother, J.L., who was also under the protection of a publication ban.
The boys, both Indigenous, had been relocated from an Ottawa foster home to the care of Hamber and Cooney in 2017, remaining under the supervision of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Ottawa. However, the adoption process was incomplete at the time of L.L.’s passing.
Hamber and Cooney face additional charges, including confinement, assault with a weapon involving zip ties, and neglecting to provide essential care for J.L.
Duncan had been the boys’ family doctor from 2018 until L.L.’s demise and was aware of various medical professionals’ assessments, treatments, and recommendations for L.L.
Concerns Raised Regarding Adoption
A letter penned in 2019 by Duncan and his health team to the Halton CAS director expressed apprehensions about the adoption of the boys by Hamber and Cooney. The letter criticized the women’s parenting methods as more harmful than therapeutic, citing instances like forcing the boys to sleep in tents and using zip ties on them.
The letter also highlighted the women’s emotional volatility and lack of regulation.
