WARNING: This article includes allegations of child abuse.
An expert pathologist revealed during a trial that he couldn’t definitively determine the cause of death for a 12-year-old boy under the care of two women in Burlington, Ontario.
Dr. Michael Pickup, Ontario’s deputy chief forensic pathologist, testified that potential causes of death, such as hypothermia or cardiac arrest due to severe malnutrition, could not be ruled out based on his autopsy findings.
The ongoing trial involves Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, who are facing charges including first-degree murder in connection with the death of the boy, identified as L.L., in 2022. The identities of L.L. and his younger brother, J.L., are under a publication ban.
In addition to the murder charge, Cooney and Hamber are accused of confinement, assault with a weapon (specifically, zip ties), and neglecting to provide essential care to J.L.
The trial, being presided over by Justice Clayton Conlan in Milton, began last month and is anticipated to continue through November.
Autopsy Analysis
During the trial, Crown attorney Monica MacKenzie had Dr. Pickup explain his autopsy report on L.L.’s body step by step. Dr. Pickup noted the absence of significant injuries or abnormalities on the body.
The autopsy revealed that L.L. had ingested 11 pills identified as Venlafaxine, a prescribed medication used to treat various mental health conditions. The concentration of the medication in L.L.’s body was higher than therapeutic levels but not lethal.
Dr. Pickup highlighted malnutrition as a potential leading cause of death considering L.L.’s thin and undernourished state. However, he clarified that the autopsy could not definitively attribute death to malnutrition due to limitations in measuring certain blood components.
Furthermore, Dr. Pickup explained that acute starvation, which could cause death, was not conclusively proven by the absence of specific indicators in L.L.’s body.
Possible Hypothermia
Regarding potential causes of death like hypothermia, Dr. Pickup indicated that without additional context about the circumstances surrounding L.L.’s death, making a definitive conclusion would be challenging.
Addressing a hypothetical scenario presented by MacKenzie, Dr. Pickup acknowledged that hypothermia could have played a role in contributing to the boy’s death based on the circumstances described.
According to disclosed information, emergency responders found L.L. wet in a basement room on the night of Dec. 21, 2022, with a wetsuit nearby and no other furniture in the room.
Defense counsels questioned Dr. Pickup about hypothermia and the wet condition of L.L. Cooney’s lawyer inquired about relevant signs of hypothermia, while Hamber’s lawyer asked about the possibility of L.L. being submerged in water.
If you need support after reading this article, consider seeking mental health resources in your province or territory.