A forensic pathologist has testified in court that the cause of death of a 12-year-old boy, under the care of two Burlington, Ont., women, could not be conclusively determined. Dr. Michael Pickup, the deputy chief forensic pathologist in Ontario, mentioned that while the autopsy did not reveal a definitive cause of death, possibilities 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 boy, identified as L.L., at the time of his death in 2022. The identities of the boy and his younger brother are protected by a publication ban. Cooney and Hamber are facing charges of first-degree murder, confinement, assault with a weapon (zip ties), and failure to provide necessary care to the younger brother, J.L.
During the trial, Dr. Pickup detailed the findings of L.L.’s autopsy, including the presence of an overdose of Venlafaxine, a prescribed medication for depression and anxiety. The medication concentration in L.L.’s system was higher than therapeutic levels but not fatal. Dr. Pickup also highlighted the possibility of malnutrition as a significant concern given the boy’s frail condition.
The court heard from an expert on child nutrition who described L.L. as severely malnourished before his death, weighing only 48 pounds, significantly below his weight at six years old. Dr. Pickup explained that while malnutrition could have contributed to the boy’s death by affecting his heart rhythm, the autopsy could not definitively prove this due to limitations in measuring certain factors.
Furthermore, the possibility of hypothermia as a cause of death was raised during the trial. Dr. Pickup acknowledged that given the circumstances presented, including L.L. being found wet in a basement, hypothermia could have played a role in his death. The defense questioned the pathologist further on this and other aspects of the case, exploring various scenarios that might have led to the tragic outcome.
The trial, being presided over by Justice Clayton Conlan in Milton, is ongoing and is expected to continue through November, with further evidence and testimonies to be presented.
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