Oakland County CEO Out On $2M Bond After Child Killed In Hyperbaric Chamber Blast

TROY, MI — The CEO and owner of the Oxford Center, where a 5-year-old boy died in a hyperbaric chamber explosion, was released from jail Wednesday after posting bond, court records show.

Officials said 5-year-old Thomas Cooper was receiving treatment inside the chamber at the Troy medical facility on the morning of Jan. 31 when the explosion happened, killing him.

The CEO and owner of the facility, 58-year-old Tamela Peterson, of Brighton, was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the incident. She was released from jail Wednesday after posting a $2 million bond.

Three other workers were charged as well.

Oxford Center Safety Manager Jeffrey Mosteller, 64, of Clinton Township, and Assistant Gary Marken, 65, of Spring Arbor, were also charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Aleta Moffitt, 60, of Rochester Hills, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber, was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of medical records – intentionally placing false information on the chart.

Mosteller was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond, which a judge lowered from $250,000, court records show.

Court records also show Marken and Moffitt were released from jail after posting bond. Marken was given a $250,000 bond, while Moffitt received a $100,000 bond.

All four defendants are expected to appear in court again on April 30.

The Oxford Center, located on Kirts Boulevard near Livernois Road, provides therapy for children with various health conditions, including autism, ADHD and autoimmune diseases through hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

A lawyer representing the family told NBC News that Cooper was being treated for sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said those conditions are not approved to be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Investigators believe a single spark was the cause of the explosion, though Nessel didn't specify exactly what caused that spark. The chamber has five times the amount of oxygen in a normal room, making it highly combustible.

Officials said Cooper's mom, who was standing next to the chamber, was also injured in the explosion. Fire officials quickly contained the blaze to just a single room and no one else was injured in the incident, according to officials.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Sechrist, the manufacturer of the hyperbaric chamber, have strict safety protocols that must be followed before treatment. However, officials said that these standards were deliberately discarded at the time of Cooper’s death.

Moreover, Nessel said the medical facility's officials ignored daily maintenance checks and annual safety inspections. She also said there was also no medical doctor or safety supervisor on site when Cooper was undergoing treatment, which was being performed by a non-licensed technician.

Officials also accused Peterson of interfering with the investigation. They said she passed around footage of the boy burning inside the chamber and tried to withhold evidence.

"This tragedy could have been prevented if proper safety protocols were followed," Nessel said. "Instead, deliberate negligence and a blatant disregard for safety cost a child his life."

Nessel said the business was purely for cash.