Two suspects in hyperbaric chamber fire post bond

Max Reinhart, The Detroit News on Mar 27, 2025

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DETROIT — Two of the four people charged in the hyperbaric chamber explosion that killed a young boy at a Troy medical facility have posted bond, while the bond amount was lowered Wednesday for a third suspect, records show.

Online court records show that the bond for Jeffrey Alan Mosteller was lowered from $250,000, which was set at his March 11 arraignment, to $50,000 during a hearing Wednesday.

His co-defendants Aleta Moffitt and Gary Marken posted bond Wednesday. Moffitt's bond originally was $100,000, while Marken's bond was $250,000. Mosteller, 64, was the safety director at the Oxford Center in Troy, where a hyperbaric oxygen chamber exploded on Jan. 31. Moffitt was the operator the chamber, and Marken was the facility's primary manager.

Reached Thursday, Moffitt’s lawyer, Ellen K. Michaels, said she had no comment on the bond.

The blast killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper of Royal Oak, who was receiving treatment inside the chamber at the time.

In Wednesday's virtual hearing, Mosteller's attorney argued that his bond amount should be reduced since he has no criminal history, according to a WDIV-TV (Channel 4) report.

Judge Maureen M. McGinnis of 52-4 District Court in Troy agreed but kept conditions in place, including the requirement that Mosteller wear a GPS tether and only leave his home for court proceedings, meetings with his attorney, medical appointments or work, which cannot have anything to do with the Oxford Center or any facility that provides oxygen therapy, WDIV reported.

According to online Oakland County Jail records, Mosteller had not posted bond as of Thursday afternoon.

He faces charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison; involuntary manslaughter can result in a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars.

Tamela Peterson, 58, the Oxford Center's owner and CEO, and Marken, 65, face the same charges as Mosteller. Moffitt, 60, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and intentionally placing false information on a medical record. All four have pleaded not guilty.

Peterson was held on a $2 million bond, which had not been posted as of Thursday afternoon.

Each is scheduled to next appear in court for a probable cause conference at 9 a.m. April 30.

(Staff writers Charles E. Ramirez and Hannah Mackay contributed.)