Witness: Safety item not used in hyperbaric chamber fire which killed boy at Oxford Center

Witness: Victim in hyperbaric chamber explosion was not grounded

A lot of talk on Tuesday was focused on what happened inside that hyperbaric chamber that led to Thomas Cooper’s death back in January. The defense attorneys cross examine the witnesses from the prosecutor, raising questions about what caused a spark within the chamber and about the static inside.

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Today was day two of testimony for four people charged in the death of a 5-year-old boy in Troy.

The backstory:

Thomas Cooper was killed in an explosion while inside a hyperbaric chamber. The suspects charged are accused of not following safety protocols.  

Tamala Peterson, Gary Marken, Alita Moffitt and Jeffrey Mostellar from The Oxford Center were back in court today.

Many expect to have at least one more day of testimony before the judge decides if all four defendants go to trial, but that won’t happen for another year and a half.

During the investigation, police arrested all four people associated with the Oxford Center, including Peterson who ran it. They all face second-degree murder charges.

A lot of talk on Tuesday was focused on what happened inside that hyperbaric chamber that led to Thomas Cooper’s death back in January.

The defense attorneys cross-examined the witnesses from the prosecutor, raising questions about what caused a spark within the chamber and about the static inside.

Investigators say he was inside one of their hyperbaric chambers when it caught fire. Police say his mom tried to pull him out, but she couldn’t help him survive. His mother was also injured.

Listen to what the prosecuting attorney, Chris Castle, said in court about whether Thomas Cooper was grounded in the hyperbaric chamber.

More info:

• Troy Oxford Center deadly fire preliminary hearing 
• Ex-Oxford Center workers talk about explosion that killed boy

"If Thomas Cooper had been grounded during his treatment, when his knee came close to that mattress, would there have been that discharge?"

"No," the witness said.

"Why not?"

"Because he would have been continuously grounded in there. There isn’t an opportunity for the static to build up," the witness said.

The preliminary hearing will resume on Dec. 12.

Inset: Victim Thomas Cooper. Main photo: The remains of the Oxford Center's hyperbaric chamber.