Two charged with murder in child's death at Michigan center
Alona Yadav | Mar 12, 2025, 00:08 IST
( Image credit : AP )
The CEO and safety director of a Michigan wellness center face charges following the death of a 5-year-old boy in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber accident. The child, undergoing treatment for ADHD and sleep apnea, was trapped inside when the chamber caught fire, resulting in his tragic death.
The CEO and safety director of a Michigan wellness center face second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges following the death of a 5-year-old boy in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber accident.
Tamela Peterson, 58, CEO and founder of the Oxford Center in Troy, Michigan, and Jeffrey Alan Mosteller, 64, the center's safety director and director of training, were expected to be arraigned Tuesday in connection with the January 31 death of Thomas Cooper, according to court records.
The child, described by his family as curious, energetic, and thoughtful, was undergoing his 36th hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment for ADHD and sleep apnea when the pressurized chamber burst into flames. Thomas was trapped inside while his mother desperately tried but failed to free him.
Two additional individuals were arrested Monday in connection with the case. Gary Marken, 65, who serves on the Oxford Center's advisory board and is listed as its director of operations, was also charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Raymond Cassar, Marken's attorney, released a statement characterizing the tragedy as an accident rather than intentional. He noted that his client wasn't responsible for overseeing the hyperbaric chamber and had no prior legal issues.
"We realize that everyone wants answers to how this happened, but that will have to be left up to the experts," Cassar stated.
The Oxford Center, which operates locations in Brighton and Troy, expressed disappointment regarding the charges in a statement, calling their timing "surprising."
"After cooperating with multiple investigations starting immediately after the tragic accident in January, we are disappointed to see charges filed," the statement said. "The timing of these charges is surprising, as the typical protocol after a fire-related accident has not yet been completed."
James Harrington, an attorney representing the Cooper family, said Thomas' parents were unaware of the dangers their son faced. Thomas' mother, Annie Cooper, suffered third-degree burns to her arms while attempting to rescue her son.
"It's literally the worst thing that any parent could experience," Harrington said. "And poor Thomas... his last moments of life were being engulfed in flames and perishing in front of his mother. He was certainly aware of what was going on."
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, hyperbaric chambers contain 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. While the FDA has approved the therapy for certain conditions such as decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and specific infections, the Oxford Center was offering treatment for non-FDA approved conditions, including Thomas's ADHD and sleep apnea.
The Michigan Attorney General's office planned to hold a news conference Tuesday to provide additional details about the case.
Tamela Peterson, 58, CEO and founder of the Oxford Center in Troy, Michigan, and Jeffrey Alan Mosteller, 64, the center's safety director and director of training, were expected to be arraigned Tuesday in connection with the January 31 death of Thomas Cooper, according to court records.
The child, described by his family as curious, energetic, and thoughtful, was undergoing his 36th hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment for ADHD and sleep apnea when the pressurized chamber burst into flames. Thomas was trapped inside while his mother desperately tried but failed to free him.
Two additional individuals were arrested Monday in connection with the case. Gary Marken, 65, who serves on the Oxford Center's advisory board and is listed as its director of operations, was also charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Raymond Cassar, Marken's attorney, released a statement characterizing the tragedy as an accident rather than intentional. He noted that his client wasn't responsible for overseeing the hyperbaric chamber and had no prior legal issues.
"We realize that everyone wants answers to how this happened, but that will have to be left up to the experts," Cassar stated.
The Oxford Center, which operates locations in Brighton and Troy, expressed disappointment regarding the charges in a statement, calling their timing "surprising."
"After cooperating with multiple investigations starting immediately after the tragic accident in January, we are disappointed to see charges filed," the statement said. "The timing of these charges is surprising, as the typical protocol after a fire-related accident has not yet been completed."
James Harrington, an attorney representing the Cooper family, said Thomas' parents were unaware of the dangers their son faced. Thomas' mother, Annie Cooper, suffered third-degree burns to her arms while attempting to rescue her son.
"It's literally the worst thing that any parent could experience," Harrington said. "And poor Thomas... his last moments of life were being engulfed in flames and perishing in front of his mother. He was certainly aware of what was going on."
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, hyperbaric chambers contain 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. While the FDA has approved the therapy for certain conditions such as decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and specific infections, the Oxford Center was offering treatment for non-FDA approved conditions, including Thomas's ADHD and sleep apnea.
The Michigan Attorney General's office planned to hold a news conference Tuesday to provide additional details about the case.