A sentencing hearing is underway for two Burlington, Ont., women convicted in the abuse of two Indigenous brothers while they were in their care. The court has found Becky Hamber and Brandy Cooney guilty of first-degree murder in the death of the older brother, who was 12 years old at the time. The convictions also include unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, and failure to provide the necessaries of life related to the brothers’ treatment. According to reporting ahead of the hearing, the women were convicted in early May. The hearing focuses on determining the appropriate sentences for Hamber and Cooney in connection with both the fatal assault on the older boy and the abuse and confinement of the younger sibling. The case is being handled through the criminal justice system, and the sentencing process will consider the circumstances of the offences and the findings from the convictions. No final sentence is reported as part of the coverage of the hearing’s start.