In a murder trial in Milton, a psychiatrist testified that she had advised two women in Burlington, Ont., to take a 12-year-old boy they were caring for to the emergency room multiple times before his death in 2022. Dr. Shelinderjit Dhaliwal mentioned that the boy’s health was deteriorating, and he was not eating properly. She expressed that if the family had sought medical help at the emergency department, the tragic outcome could have been prevented.
The accused, Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, are facing charges of first-degree murder in the case of the boy, identified as L.L., whom they were attempting to adopt. Additionally, they are charged with confinement, assault with zip ties, and failing to provide proper care to L.L.’s younger brother, J.L. The trial, conducted by a judge without a jury, started last month and is anticipated to extend into December.
The boys, who are Indigenous and two years apart in age, were under the care of the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa before being moved to Burlington in 2017 to live with Cooney and Hamber. Throughout the trial, various medical professionals have testified about the boys’ health conditions and the care provided by the accused. The couple claimed that the boys had severe behavioral issues and, later, that L.L. was suffering from an eating disorder.
Dr. Dhaliwal, who was L.L.’s psychiatrist from January 2022 until his passing in December of the same year, revealed that the boy was found in a critical state by paramedics in his basement room, wet, emaciated, and unresponsive. Despite efforts to determine the cause of death, including suspicions of malnutrition or hypothermia, the exact reason remains unclear.
During her interactions with L.L. and Hamber, Dhaliwal highlighted concerns about the boy’s deteriorating condition and urged the women to seek urgent medical attention. Despite her recommendations for hospital assessment and specialized care, Hamber refused, citing concerns about potential trauma for L.L. and delays in treatment. The process to admit L.L. to an eating disorder clinic had commenced, but medical intervention was delayed until shortly before his tragic demise.
The psychiatrist emphasized that timely medical intervention could have saved the boy’s life and expressed frustration over the lack of action taken by the caregivers. Despite efforts to guide the women towards appropriate medical care, the tragic outcome could not be averted.
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