Three people have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a hyperbaric chamber explosion in January that killed a 5-year-old boy who was inside it receiving treatment.
A fourth individual has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
The explosion happened on Jan. 31, when 5-year-old Thomas Cooper was receiving hyperbaric oxygen treatment at The Oxford Center in Troy, Michigan.
The Oxford Center CEO Tami Peterson, safety director Jeff Mosteller and primary manager Gary Marken were all arrested Monday and charged with second-degree murder.
Aleta Moffitt, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and intentionally providing false information on a medical record.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the charges on Tuesday morning. It's unclear at this time what exactly led to the arrests.
“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. I appreciate the investigatory efforts of the Troy Police Department. My office remains committed to seeking justice for Thomas and holding those responsible accountable.”
The Oxford Center released the following statement about the charges:
After cooperating with multiple investigations starting immediately after the tragic accident in January, we are disappointed to see charges filed.
The timing of these charges is surprising, as the typical protocol after a fire-related accident has not yet been completed. There are still outstanding questions about how this occurred. Yet, the Attorney General’s office proceeded to pursue charges without those answers.
Our highest priority every day is the safety and wellbeing of the children and families we serve, which continues during this process.
Cooper's family is being represented by Fieger Law.
James Harrington, managing partner at Fieger Law, told the Scripps News Group in February that the young boy had received 35 treatments and the explosion happened during his 36th.
WATCH: Attorney for family of 5-year-old boy killed in hyperbaric chamber speaks out
"Under no circumstances should anything like this ever happen — ever," Harrington previously said. "When we met with the family, it was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever seen."
Cooper's mother was also reportedly in the room at the time of the incident and sustained some injuries to her arms.
Officials say the chamber contains 100% oxygen, which is five times the amount of oxygen in a normal room and can be “extremely combustible.”
According to The Oxford Center website, the therapy is a "specialized form of medical treatment administered by delivering 100% pure oxygen to the body through increased atmospheric pressure greater than 1.3 ATA in an enclosed hard chamber."
A GoFundMe page for the family said Cooper loved life, running, swimming, drawing and figuring out how things worked. He leaves behind his mom, dad and younger brother.
This story was originally published by the Scripps News Group in Detroit.
