WARNING: The following contains allegations of child abuse.
An expert forensic pathologist stated during a trial in Milton that the autopsy of a 12-year-old boy under the care of two women from Burlington, Ont., could not definitively determine the cause of his death.
Dr. Michael Pickup, Ontario’s deputy chief forensic pathologist, revealed that potential causes of death, such as hypothermia or cardiac arrest due to severe malnutrition, could not be ruled out based on the autopsy findings.
Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, who were in the process of adopting the 12-year-old known as L.L., are facing charges that include first-degree murder and other serious offenses.
The identities of the children involved, including L.L. and his younger brother J.L., are protected by a publication ban.
The trial, presided over by Justice Clayton Conlan, began last month in the Ontario Superior Court and is anticipated to continue until November.
Autopsy Findings
Dr. Pickup’s examination did not reveal any significant injuries or abnormalities on L.L.’s body. The autopsy showed that L.L. had ingested 11 pills identified as Venlafaxine, a prescribed medication used to treat various mental health conditions.
Although the concentration of Venlafaxine in L.L.’s system was higher than therapeutic levels, it was not deemed fatal. The pathologist highlighted malnutrition as a significant concern given L.L.’s extremely thin and undernourished condition.
Previous testimonies in the trial indicated that L.L. was severely malnourished before his death, weighing only 48 pounds, which is below his weight at six years old.
Possible Causes of Death
During questioning, Dr. Pickup acknowledged the potential factors such as drowning, smothering, and hypothermia that could have contributed to L.L.’s death. He noted that without additional details about the circumstances, it is challenging to pinpoint a definitive cause.
Responding to a hypothetical scenario presented by the prosecution, Dr. Pickup agreed that hypothermia could have played a role in L.L.’s death, considering the circumstances described.
The defense inquired further about the possibility of hypothermia and the wet state in which L.L. was discovered. Dr. Pickup could not definitively explain why L.L. was wet but suggested the possibility of immersion in water.
As the trial progresses, more details are expected to emerge regarding the tragic events leading to L.L.’s untimely death.