Prospective mother accused of killing boy, torturing brother testifies about zip-tying shoes to child’s feet

Boys were locked in their rooms, court hears

MacGregor asks Hamber about the kids’ doors to their rooms being locked.

“We kind of felt like we were out of options to keep the children safe,” Hamber says, adding the women had been staying up late at night to ensure the brothers were safe. 

Locking them in meant the couple could get a few hours of sleep at night, Hamber says, adding she mentioned it to a CAS worker who probably would have seen the locks. 

She says she did not know when that discussion occurred.

In hindsight, locking the doors would be a fire safety concern, Hamber says. But at the time, it wasn’t safe to have the doors unlocked, she says.

After a time, as the boys got older, Hamber says, cameras were put in their rooms so the couple could monitor them.