Oxford Center safety director pleads no contest to manslaughter in death of 5-year-old
One of the four people who were criminally charged in connection with the hyperbaric chamber death of a 5-year-old in January 2025 has pleaded no contest in the case.
Oxford Center Safety Director Jeffrey Mosteller entered his plea on Tuesday in Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court to one count of involuntary manslaughter over the death of Thomas Cooper, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. Under the plea agreement submitted to the court, his sentence will range from 19 months to 15 years in prison.
Mosteller is scheduled for sentencing on August 31.
"A young child lost his life in a completely preventable tragedy because this defendant allowed an outdated device to operate in defiance of safety standards," Nessel said. "While no outcome can reverse this loss, it is my hope that this conviction provides a sense of justice to Thomas's family."
The Oxford Center in Troy had provided therapy and treatment services to adults and children with various health conditions.
On Jan. 31, 2025, Thomas was in one of the hyperbaric chambers when the equipment caught fire from inside and exploded. His mother was injured in the explosion.
The state attorney general's office said that both the National Fire Protection Association and Sechrist, the manufacturer of the hyperbaric chamber, publish strict safety protocols that must be followed before treatment. State authorities alleged that Mosteller "deliberately discarded these protocols and ignored precautions at the time of Cooper's death," the statement said.
Mosteller was originally charged with second-degree homicide and involuntary manslaughter. His case was scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Tuesday, when the plea agreement was entered to the lesser of the two charges.
Three others faced charges relating to the fatal explosion.
Tamela Peterson's next circuit court appearance is a motion hearing set for July 22, court records show. Peterson, of Brighton, is the former Oxford Center CEO.
Gary Marken of Spring Arbor is scheduled for a pretrial on July 27.
Aleta Moffitt of Rochester Hills is scheduled for a pretrial on July 27.
The above video originally aired on Feb. 10, 2026.
