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TROY, Mich. — Four individuals are facing charges in connection with the tragic death of a 5-year-old boy who was fatally burned when a pressurized oxygen chamber exploded at a medical facility near Detroit, Michigan’s attorney general announced Tuesday.
Thomas Cooper, from Royal Oak, Michigan, was pronounced dead at the scene on January 31 at the Oxford Center in Troy. His mother sustained burn injuries while attempting to rescue him.
“A single spark appears to have ignited a fire that engulfed the chamber within seconds, taking Thomas’s life,” Attorney General Dana Nessel stated. She emphasized that stringent safety protocols exist because “fires in these chambers are almost always fatal.”
Tamela Peterson, 58, the center’s founder and CEO, has been charged with second-degree murder. Facility manager Gary Marken, 65, and safety manager Gary Mosteller, 64, face charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Aleta Moffitt, 60, the chamber operator at the time of the explosion, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and falsifying medical records.
All four were arrested Monday and appeared in Troy District Court on Tuesday. Handcuffed and escorted into the courtroom, they pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Elizabeth Chiappelli.
During Peterson’s arraignment, Assistant Attorney General Chris Kessel expressed concerns that she might attempt to flee, citing her access to significant financial resources.
Peterson’s lawyer, Gerald Gleeson II, requested a reasonable bond, but Chiappelli set it at $2 million for Peterson, $250,000 each for Marken and Mosteller, and $100,000 for Moffitt.
Unapproved Medical Treatment and Safety Violations
The family’s attorney told NBC News that Thomas had undergone multiple hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions for sleep apnea and ADHD—conditions not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for such treatment. Nessel reiterated that the therapy was “not supported by medical science.”
“Because these treatments lack medical credibility, insurance companies would not cover them. This business was purely profit-driven,” Nessel said.
Nessel also highlighted major safety failures at the facility, stating that on the day of the explosion:
- A routine maintenance check was not conducted.
- No medical doctor was present.
- The technician performing the procedure was unlicensed.
Experts assisting the investigation provided what Nessel called “horrifying” findings. The Oxford Center, she said, “routinely operated hyperbaric chambers beyond their expected service life, completely disregarding essential safety protocols.”
Legal Defense and Facility’s Response
Defense attorneys argued that the charges were excessive and stressed that the explosion was a tragic accident, not an intentional act.
Raymond Cassar, Marken’s attorney, told reporters the second-degree murder charge was “a total shock” and reminded the public that his client is “presumed innocent.”
Ellen Michaels, Moffitt’s lawyer, called for patience as the legal process unfolds. “This incident has deeply affected my client, the community, and first responders,” she said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Oxford Center defended its safety record. Shortly after the explosion, the facility issued a statement emphasizing that patient safety is a top priority.
“In over 15 years of offering this therapy, we have never experienced anything like this,” the statement read. “We do not yet know the cause of the explosion, but we are fully cooperating with all investigations.”
Regulatory Concerns and Industry Standards
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, increasing oxygen levels in the body. The FDA has approved it for 13 medical conditions, including severe burns and decompression sickness, but not for the disorders the Oxford Center advertised.
The FDA advises patients to seek treatment only at hyperbaric centers accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. As of February 2025, the Oxford Center is not listed as an accredited facility.
Nessel concluded that Thomas’s death was preventable, blaming the tragedy on negligence and reckless disregard for safety protocols.
