Hyperbaric chamber explosion: Owner of Oxford Center arrested in 5-year-old boy's death

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The owner of the facility that operated the hyperbaric chamber that exploded in January, killing a 5-year-old boy, has been arrested in connection to the child's death.

Tammi Peterson was arrested at her Brighton home Monday morning just before 7 a.m. for the death of Thomas Cooper, the little boy who was trapped inside the hyperbaric chamber when it exploded on Jan. 31.

FOX 2's Taryn Asher has learned Peterson is going to be charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.

Peterson is the founder and CEO of the Oxford Center in Troy, which owned and operated the chamber.

FOX 2 also learned that three others are charged and facing the same charges. One of those four charged is also being charged with falsifying medical records. FOX 2 is working to learn the names of the other three charged.

We reached out to the attorney for the Oxford Center for comment on the charges, who said they had been cooperating fully and were disappointed in the charges filed.

"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. Our highest priority every day is the safety and wellbeing of the children and families we serve, which continues during this process," the statement read in part.

Thomas Cooper, 5, died on jan. 31 when the hyperbaric chamber he was inside of exploded. 

What we know:

Thomas was inside the chamber on Jan. 31 around 8 a.m. with his mom by his side. FOX 2 learned last month that the family paid $8,000 for 40 oxygen therapy sessions for the little boy and they were told that it would help his ADHD and sleep apnea. There is also no proven science backing oxygen therapy for the conditions listed on the Oxford Center's site, so insurance doesn't cover the treatment.

With the boy inside the pressurized chamber, it exploded - killing the child. His mother was sitting nearby and was seriously injured as well.

"She rushed back to where her son was to find him engulfed in flames, and she was doing everything possible to get him out while sustaining significant burns to her arm," he said.

FOX 2 has reached out to Troy for information about the investigation, which is still ongoing.

What they're saying:

Sources told FOX 2 that the center was understaffed that day. There were three patients receiving oxygen therapy, which meant there should have been three technicians. Officials say there was only one.

Meanwhile, there are issues regarding the maintenance of the hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

Sechrist Industries hasn't responded to FOX 2's request for required maintenance of their medical technology used by the Oxford Center, but it appears any facility that can afford to buy the hyperbaric chambers basically uses the honor system, since there is no state oversight.

"This is a big issue. There is no accreditation, no state oversight. The more things that they say that they can fix, or the things that they can treat, the more customers and don’t forget that this is a for-profit enterprise," said Harrington.

The backstory:

In the days after the explosion, the Oxford Center's website was scrubbed of names and faces.

"They took all their names and faces off of their website in the last few days after this event so, they know that there is a problem – of course they do," attorney James Harrington said.

That's also what happened after FOX 2's first special report on the medical facility back in 2021. 

Peterson also changed the name from Oxford Recovery Center with locations in Brighton and Troy to the Oxford Center after that story.

During the 2021 investigation,FOX 2 revealed she hired convicted felon Casey Coden Diskin, who lied about her experience, had stolen medical credentials, and posed as a certified BCBA therapist and ran a program that treated the most vulnerable autistic children.

In a statement from Peterson at the time, they defended the hire – stating because of their Christian backgrounds, "we believe in forgiveness and redemption. Whatever challenges she faced in the past, she has been an exemplary employee."

Diskin was ultimately charged with 18 felonies and pleaded guilty last year.