Family seeks over $100 million in lawsuit after boy's hyperbaric chamber death

The parents of a 5-year-old boy killed in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber explosion filed a lawsuit seeking more than $100 million in damages Monday, alleging their son paid the "ultimate price for corporate greed." Thomas Cooper died on January 31 while receiving treatment at the Oxford Center alternative medicine facility in Troy, Michigan.

The $100 million-plus lawsuit filed in Oakland County circuit court claims Thomas's death resulted from "callous indifference to human life" by both the chamber manufacturer and clinic operators. It states defendants failed to adequately warn about fatal fire risks and designed chambers without effective emergency extraction systems.

Family attorney James Harrington said Thomas had received hyperbaric oxygen therapy for sleep apnea and ADHD at the center. "There was nothing but encouragement to get Thomas into a chamber for the sole purpose of profit," Harrington stated, noting parents received no risk warnings.

The suit describes how Thomas's mother burned her arm attempting to rescue him during the January 31 fire. The $100 million lawsuit names eight defendants including the Oxford Center, its staff, property owners, and chamber manufacturer Sechrist Industries.

Four clinic staff face criminal charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, with all pleading not guilty. Recent hearings featured expert testimony suggesting static electricity ignited the blaze, with staff allegedly failing basic safety protocols.

The case highlights regulatory concerns about hyperbaric therapy's unapproved uses in wellness industries. The FDA recognizes the treatment for only 13 conditions, none including the disorders Thomas was treated for or the Oxford Center's advertised specialties like autism and cancer.