Murder Charges Filed In Hyperbaric Chamber Blast That Killed MI Boy

TROY, MI — Multiple people are facing murder charges in connection with a hyperbaric chamber explosion that killed a 5-year-old boy in Troy earlier this year, according to the Michigan Attorney General's Office.

Officials said 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, of Royal Oak, was inside the chamber at the Oxford Center on the morning of Jan. 31 when the explosion happened.

The boy's mom, who was standing next to the chamber, was also injured in the explosion, according to police.

Fire officials quickly contained the blaze to just a single room and no one else was injured in the incident, according to police.

Oxford Center Owner Tamela Peterson, 58, of Brighton; Safety Manager Jeffrey Mosteller, 64, of Clinton Township; and Assistant Gary Marken, 65, of Spring Arbor, were each charged with one count of second-degree murder (up to life-felony) and one count of involuntary manslaughter (15-year felony) in connection with the incident.

Aleta Moffitt, 60, of Rochester Hills, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber, was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter (15-year felony) and one count of medical records – intentionally placing false information on chart (four-year felony).

"After an extensive and difficult investigation, these arrests reflect the dedication and commitment of our investigators through this process," said Troy Police Department Chief of Police Josh Jones.

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 the boy was was being for sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nessel said those conditions are not approved to be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

"Because these treatments were so medically unsound, patient insurance policies would not cover the use of these chambers to treat these conditions," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. "This business was a pure cash-flow, for-profit business."

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

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.

"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."

A GoFundMe has been started to raise money to help the family.