by
CEO Dr. Tami Peterson (Company photo)
Four people from a Troy medical facility—the owner and three employees—were arraigned Tuesday in Troy's 52-4 District Court on charges related to the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, who was killed in a hyperbaric chamber explosion in January.
The owner of the Oxford Center, Tamela Peterson, 58, of Brighton; Safety Manager Jeffrey Mosteller, 64, of Clinton Township; and Gary Marken, 65, of Spring Arbor, the primary management assistant at the facility, each face one count of second-degree murder. Additionally, they face an alternative count of involuntary manslaughter.
Aleta Moffitt, 60, of Rochester Hills, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber, is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of intentionally placing false information in a medical record.
The Oxford Center provides Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for children with health conditions including autism, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases.
Authorities said that on Jan. 31, Cooper was undergoing treatment when the hyperbaric chamber caught fire from the inside and exploded.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office alleges that safety standards were deliberately "discarded."
“This tragedy could have been prevented if proper safety protocols were followed,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Instead, deliberate negligence and a blatant disregard for safety cost a child his life. I appreciate the investigatory efforts of the Troy Police Department. My office remains committed to seeking justice for Thomas and holding those responsible accountable.”
