Why CEO charged in deadly Oakland County hyperbaric chamber explosion is appearing in court today

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The founder and CEO of an Oakland County health care facility, who is charged with the death of a 5-year-old boy who was killed in a hyperbaric chamber explosion, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

Tamela Peterson, 58, of Brighton, and three other workers were charged after Thomas Cooper was killed when the hyperbaric chamber he was receiving treatment in exploded at the Oxford Center on Jan. 31, 2025. The boy’s mother was also injured in the explosion.

Click here for our full coverage on the case.

A preliminary hearing to determine if a felony was committed and if there is probable cause to send them to trial for all four workers began in early September. The hearing will resume in December.

While three of the four charged won’t appear in court until the end of the year, Peterson’s attorneys filed a motion. Details on the motion are unclear.

Update: Oakland County CEO charged in hyperbaric chamber death sent back to jail for 2 days -- here’s why