Four people have been charged after the 5-year-old was “incinerated” in a pressurized oxygen chamber while being treated at an alternative medical center in Michigan earlier this year, officials said Tuesday.
Thomas Cooper was killed when the chamber suddenly exploded on January 31st as he was receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy for ADHD and sleep apnea at the Oxford Center in Detroit.
His mother, Annie Cooper, was standing next to the room at the time, and suffered considerable burns as she desperately tried to save her little boy, authorities said.
“One spark appears to have been ignited in a fully involved fire that claimed Thomas's life within seconds,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said he has announced charges against the center's owner and three employees.
Tamela Peterson, 58, the founder and chief executive of the center, has been charged with second-degree murder. Facility manager Gary Marken, 65, and safety manager Gary Mosteller, 64, were hit with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Meanwhile, 60-year-old Aleta Moffitt, who was operating the room when the blast exploded, was charged with inadvertent manslaughter and intentionally placed false medical information on his medical record sheet.
All four staff members were scheduled to be arrested on Troy District Court charges Tuesday.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which involves breathing the patient with 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, is Cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for 13 Disability List – Includes severe burns, decompression sickness, and non-healing wounds.
However, this list does not include many of the obstacles advertised by the Oxford Centre. Or, according to the Attorney General's Office, the two people who had a small boy being treated at the time of the explosion are not included.
Nessel said her office had extensive consultations with high-pressure chambers and treatment specialists before bringing the charges.
“We've come to a horrible, simple conclusion,” she said.
“The Oxford Centre routinely operated sensitive, deadly dangerous high-pressure chambers, exceeding the expected service life and completely ignored critical safety measures and practices that medical and technical experts deemed essential.”
“Fires in high-pressure chambers are considered terminal events,” she added. “All such fires are almost certainly deadly, and this is why so many procedures and intrinsic safety practices have been developed to prevent a fire from occurring.”
Meanwhile, Nessel tore the center through immature and exposed treatment, putting the child's body at risk.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Center emphasized that “the safety and happiness of the children we serve is our number one priority.”
“Nothing like this has happened in more than 15 years since we provided this type of treatment,” the statement said.
“I don't know why this happened or how it happened, but I'll be taking part in all the research that needs to be done now.”
Raymond Cusser, managerial lawyer at the Oxford Centre, said the second murder rap was a “complete shock.”
“For the sake of fairness, he is presumed innocent,” said Marken's lawyer. “This is a tragic accident, and our thoughts and our prayers go to this little boy's family. I want to remind everyone that this is not a deliberate act, but an accident. We need to leave this to the experts and find out the cause of this.”
Separately, Moffitt's lawyer Ellen Michaels spread prayer and sympathy to Cooper's family, seeking “patience and fairness as this process unfolds.”
“This event had a huge impact on so many people, including my clients, my community, my first responders,” she said in a statement.
“I wish all the people affected, and Aleta Moffitt the professional expert with years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is always a dedicated and hardworking individual, adhering to all corporate policies and procedures while prioritizing patient well-being.”
With post wire
