Four Charged in Death of 5-Year-Old After Michigan Oxygen Chamber Explosion

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges against four individuals in connection with the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, who was killed when a hyperbaric chamber exploded at the Oxford Center in Troy on January 31. The center's owner, Tamela Peterson, along with safety manager Jeffrey Mosteller and facility manager Gary Marken, face charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Aleta Moffitt, the operator of the chamber, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and falsifying medical records. Nessel stated that the tragedy was preventable and attributed it to deliberate negligence and disregard for safety protocols. The defendants' attorneys claim the charges are surprising and emphasize the incident was an accident rather than intentional wrongdoing. The center's management expressed disappointment with the timing of the charges, citing ongoing investigations and outstanding questions regarding the incident.