Troy, Michigan – In a tragic incident at the Oxford Center, a hyperbaric chamber explosion led to the death of a 5-year-old boy named Thomas Cooper. Following this incident on January 31, 2025, four individuals faced charges in connection with the explosion.
Tamela Peterson, a 58-year-old from Brighton, was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. She remains the only individual out of the four charged who has not been released on bond, with a $2 million bond issued for her.
Other individuals charged include Gary Marken, 65, from Spring Arbor, and Jeffrey Mosteller, 64, from Clinton Township. Both Marken and Mosteller faced similar charges to Peterson but have since posted bond and been released.
Aleta Moffitt, 60, from Rochester Hills, also faced charges for involuntary manslaughter and falsifying medical records. Moffitt was charged as the individual operating the hyperbaric chamber at the time of the explosion.
All four defendants have been mandated to follow strict bond conditions, including no contact with the victim’s family or other defendants, not returning to the Oxford Center or similar facilities, and surrendering their passports. They have also been required to wear GPS tethers and are only permitted to leave their homes for essential purposes.
Further legal proceedings are scheduled for the defendants, with another probable cause conference set for April 30th. This additional session has been arranged due to the extensive amount of evidence that needs to be reviewed in the case, highlighting the complexity and severity of the situation.