CAS ‘bad’ decisions before boy’s death raise accountability questions

The trial of Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, two Burlington women accused of murdering a 12‑year‑old boy they were trying to adopt, is back in the Milton Superior Court after a mid‑September start and December final court break. The boy died Dec. 21, 2022 after being left largely isolated and malnourished in the couple’s care. The children were placed in CAS wards in 2017, remained under Ottawa CAS supervision until the older brother’s death, and the younger brother was removed Dec. 2022. CAS faced multiple letters of concern from doctors in 2019 and teachers in 2019‑20, yet no system changes were disclosed. Former child advocate Irwin Elman urges full transparency, citing “outrageous” decisions that allowed abuse to continue.