Parents Are ‘Absolutely Devastated' After Their Son, 5, Dies During Oxygen Therapy in a Hyperbaric Chamber

Mar. 15, 2025

A photo of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, as seen on GoFundMe.Photo:gofundme

gofundme

The parents of a 5-year-old boy whodied in a hyperbaric chamber explosionin Troy, Mich. on Jan. 31 are speaking out.

Their attorney, James Harrington, toldNBC Newson Friday, Feb. 14 that the family of the boy — who was identified as 5-year-old Thomas Cooper — are “absolutely devastated” in the wake of his death and plan to file a lawsuit “to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Harrington told the outlet that Thomas’s parents decided to take him to alternative medicine facility Oxford Center to receive treatment in a hyperbaric chamber for sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

However, the Federal Drug and Food Administration (FDA) has not approved the chambers, which have a “higher” air pressure than normal to help patients breathe in 100% pure oxygen. The FDA saidon its websitethat the devices “are not proven to cure cancer, Lyme disease, autism or Alzheimer’s disease,” and recommended that people check with their health care providers before using one.

The Troy Fire Department said in astatement on social mediathat at around 7:54 a.m. local time on Jan. 31 they responded to a report of a “hyperbaric chamber explosion with a child inside,” and when they arrived on the scene, they found the 5-year-old dead.

“A hyperbaric chamber contains 100 percent oxygen, which is up to three times the amount of oxygen than a normal room. “The presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible,” the fire department said.

Harrington told NBC News that Thomas’ mother Annie Cooper had attempted to “rescue” her child “out of the burning flames” when a fire broke out in the chamber leading to “significant burns on her arm.”

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A photo of emergency services at the scene of hyperbaric chamber explosion on Jan. 31.CBSDetroit

CBSDetroit

“She was trying and trying to get him out, and was unsuccessful,” Harrington said. “She does have visible burns, but the real problem for her is going to be the emotional trauma.”

“It was just a mother who was trying to help her son with some conditions that he had and was promised that with these conditions and this treatment, that they would be able to help,” Harrington told NBC News. “Annie was trying to help her child as any parent would — as good parents do.”

A photo of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, as seen on GoFundMe.gofundme

PEOPLE has reached out to Fieger Law, the law firm Harrington is under, for a statement.

The Oxford Center released a statement to theDetroit Free Presson the incident, saying, in part, “the safety and wellbeing of the children we serve is our highest priority.” They added, “Nothing like this has happened in our more than 15 years of providing this type of therapy. We do not know why or how this happened and will participate in all of the investigations that now need to take place.”

The Troy Fire Department said that their “initial research” showed that incidents of hyperbaric chambers exploding “is uncommon,” and the incident is under investigation.

source: people.com