The sibling of a 12-year-old who died while in the care of a Burlington, Ont., couple was back testifying on Thursday, telling the court he and his older brother lived in increasing isolation.

“In 2022, I don’t think I ever ate [outside] of my room,” the boy said Thursday, his second day in the witness box at the murder trial in Milton Superior Court.

He added that during his five years living with Brandy Cooney and Becky Hamber, they stopped him from going outside to play, took him out of regular school so he could be taught at home, and eventually stopped giving him school work to do.

The boy said he would be locked in his room for hours at a time and rarely saw his big brother.

J.L., as he's referred to for our coverage of this trial since the Indigenous boys' identities are protect

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