Police have arrested four people in connection with the death of a 5-year-old child who was the victim of a hyperbaric chamber explosion.
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According to a previous report by People, a 5-year-old boy, identified as Thomas Cooper died in an explosion around 8 AM on Friday, January 31. Thomas was reportedly in a hyperbaric chamber at The Oxford Center in Troy, Michigan. Per the Mayo Clinic, hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases oxygen delivery to the body by providing pure oxygen in an enclosed chamber.'
Emergency Services responded to a call explaining that a hyperbaric chamber exploded with a child inside. Authorities determined that the blast had taken his life. Thomas's mother was standing near the chamber when it exploded, suffering burns to her arms.
Per a report by NBC, authorities arrested and charged four people, including the Oxford Center's founder and CEO, Tamela Peterson. Court documents reportedly show that Peterson and two others face charges of second-degree murder. A fourth faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and "intentionally placing false information in medical records."
The Oxford Center Is 'Disappointed' To See Charges Filed
The Oxford Center released a statement saying they were disappointed with the charges, per WXYZ. "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."
Events leading up to the explosion remain unclear, although a
Facebook post from the Troy Police Department offers some insight into the chamber.:A hyperbaric chamber contains 100 percent oxygen, which is up to three times the amount of oxygen than a normal room. The presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible," the post explains. The Police Department also adds that incidents like this are uncommon.
FOX 2 reports that the Oxford Center was understaffed on the day of the incident. There were allegedly three patients receiving oxygen therapy, which requires three technicians. The outlet explains that there was only one on duty at the time.
A GoFundMe page is active, collecting donations to support the family. At the time of writing, the fundraiser has collected $67,612 of a $75,000 target.
