Home / Crime and Justice / Safety Director Pleads in Fatal Hyperbaric Fire
Safety Director Pleads in Fatal Hyperbaric Fire
21 Jul
Summary
- Safety director pleads no contest to involuntary manslaughter.
- Child died in hyperbaric chamber fire due to static electricity.
- Center allegedly prioritized profit over safety standards.
Jeffrey Mosteller, safety director at the Oxford Center, has accepted a plea deal for his role in the death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper. Mosteller entered a no contest plea to involuntary manslaughter on July 21, 2026, in exchange for a dropped second-degree murder charge.
Thomas Cooper died on January 31, 2025, when the hyperbaric chamber he was using at the Oxford Center's Troy location caught fire. Prosecutors allege that a spark of static electricity ignited the chamber, engulfing the child in flames while his mother watched. The center offered hyperbaric oxygen therapy for unapproved conditions.
Mosteller, 65, allegedly defied industry safety standards, conducting experiments to disprove the need for grounding straps. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated the tragedy was preventable due to the defendant's disregard for safety. Mosteller's sentencing is scheduled for August 31, 2026.
Other employees, including CEO Tamela Peterson and operations manager Gary Marken, face second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges. Technician Aleta Harward Moffitt is charged with involuntary manslaughter and falsifying records. All three have pleaded not guilty and await trial.
