A 66-year-old Michigan man has been sentenced to nearly two years behind bars following the fiery death of a young boy inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at an alternative health care facility.
Jeffrey Mosteller entered a no contest plea to involuntary manslaughter in Oakland County circuit court, receiving a 19-month prison sentence in connection with the January 2025 death of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper of Royal Oak, Michigan.
Mosteller served as safety manager at the Oxford Center, a clinic offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy to children with conditions including autism, ADHD, and autoimmune disorders. Thomas had been receiving treatment there for sleep apnea and ADHD when the chamber ignited and exploded from the inside.
The boy’s mother was present when the fire broke out and suffered burns to her arm while desperately trying to reach her son before the flames overtook the chamber. Her attorney described the scene as a traumatic and devastating loss that unfolded right before her eyes.
Prosecutors allege the Oxford Center deliberately ignored safety guidelines established by both the National Fire Protection Association and Sechrist Industries, the manufacturer of the hyperbaric device used at the facility. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the tragedy entirely preventable.
“A young child lost his life in a completely preventable tragedy because this defendant allowed an outdated device to operate in defiance of safety standards” Nessel said following the plea agreement reached in July.
Mosteller is one of four former Oxford Center employees facing criminal charges. The clinic’s owner Tamela Peterson and management assistant Gary Marken each face charges of second-degree murder or involuntary manslaughter. A fourth employee Aleta Moffitt faces a charge of falsifying medical records for allegedly entering false information on a patient chart. All three have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Mosteller’s attorney expressed confidence that her client would behave well in custody and be released at the 19-month mark rather than face additional time.
While Mosteller avoided the maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, the sentence has drawn attention to broader concerns about the regulation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy offered outside of traditional medical settings.
Thomas Cooper’s parents have also filed a civil lawsuit against the Oxford Center and chamber manufacturer Sechrist Industries seeking $100 million in damages for the loss of their son.
