A forensic expert testified that an autopsy conducted on a 12-year-old under the care of two women in Burlington, Ontario, could not definitively determine the cause of the child’s death. Dr. Michael Pickup, Ontario’s deputy chief forensic pathologist, revealed that while the exact cause of death could not be pinpointed, potential factors such as hypothermia or cardiac arrest due to severe malnourishment could not be ruled out.
The trial involves Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, who were in the process of adopting the 12-year-old, known as L.L., at the time of his passing in 2022. The identities of L.L. and his younger brother, J.L., are protected by a publication ban. The defendants face charges of first-degree murder, confinement, assault with a weapon (specifically zip ties), and failure to provide the necessities of life to J.L.
During the trial at the Ontario Superior Court, Dr. Pickup detailed the findings from L.L.’s autopsy, noting the absence of significant injuries or abnormalities. The examination revealed that L.L. had ingested a high concentration of Venlafaxine, a prescribed medication for depression and anxiety. Despite the elevated levels of the drug, it was deemed non-fatal. Dr. Pickup highlighted malnutrition as a significant concern due to L.L.’s thin and undernourished state.
The possibility of hypothermia as a contributing factor to L.L.’s death was also raised during the trial. Dr. Pickup mentioned that signs of hypothermia, drowning, or smothering could be subtle and require further information on the circumstances. A hypothetical scenario posed to Dr. Pickup suggested that hypothermia could have played a role in the child’s death if he had been chronically malnourished and exposed to cold conditions.
The trial is ongoing and is expected to continue until November, with the court hearing testimonies and examining evidence related to the tragic death of the 12-year-old boy.
