Troy hyperbaric chamber explosion: Judge sets exam dates for adults charged in boy's death

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Defendants in court for a probable cause conference in Troy.

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The four Oxford Center workers charged in connection with a young boy's death when the hyperbaric chamber he was inside blew up appeared in Troy court Wednesday.

The probable cause conference will be the last before the defendants head to their preliminary exam. However, there are evidentiary motions that will be addressed before the September court appearances.

What we know:

Tamela Peterson, CEO of the Oxford Center, attended virtually during Wednesday's court hearing, while her three coworkers, Gary Marken, Jeffrey Mosteller, and Aleta Moffitt appeared in person.

All four are charged with second-degree murder in the death of Thomas Cooper, a 5-year-old. They were also charged with alternative counts of involuntary manslaughter, depending on what a potential jury believes would be suitable in a trial.

But before a trial, a judge must determine there is enough evidence for a possible conviction, which would be heard during a preliminary exam.

Wednesday's probable cause conference established dates in September for the exam, with all four defendants expected in court Sept. 15 and 16.

What we don't know:

There are other motions that will draw both the prosecution and defense back to court before the exam, including one from the state attorney general's team for approving a review team.

Another pending motion from the defense is expected, dealing with whether Troy police reviewed privileged materials when they seized Peterson's phone.

The details around those motions will be taken up during a June 16 date.

The backstory:

On Jan. 31, first responders were dispatched to Oxford Recovery Center in Troy after reports of an explosion.

Police said a boy whose family had paid for oxygen therapy sessions, had died after the hyperbaric chamber he was in had blown up. His mom, who was by his side at the time of appointment, was seriously injured from the blast.

In charging the center's staff, the Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a "series of actions" that unfolded led to the child's death.

"The investigation into this tragedy has revealed how the Oxford Center in Troy and several of its key decision makers held safety among their lowest considerations in their hyperbaric treatment practice," she said in March.