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Oxford Center safety director pleads no contest in fatal hyperbaric chamber explosion
Summary by The Detroit Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Lauren Kostiuk, Jeff Jewell , WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News
· July 21, 2026
· 2 min read
Jeffrey Mosteller, the safety director at the Oxford Center in Troy, pleaded no contest Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter. He’s the first of four defendants to take a plea more than a year after a deadly hyperbaric chamber explosion killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper. Under the sentencing agreemen...
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Summary created by The Detroit Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Lauren Kostiuk, Jeff Jewell, WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 21, 2026 Indexed here Jul 21, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway He’s the first of four defendants to take a plea more than a year after a deadly hyperbaric chamber explosion killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper.
Why this matters in The Detroit
The no-contest plea by Jeffrey Mosteller, safety director at the Oxford Center, brings some measure of accountability to the tragic hyperbaric chamber explosion that killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper. As the case moves forward, Detroit area residents will be watching to see if other defendants follow suit. The fact that staff at the facility allegedly ignored industry safety standards, such as failing to use grounding wrist straps and tampering with the chamber's cycle history, raises concerns about the broader safety culture in local healthcare facilities. The civil lawsuit filed by the Cooper family, seeking $100 million in damages, will also be closely monitored. The admission of criminal negligence by Mosteller could have implications for the civil case, potentially affecting the outcome for the other defendants, including the Oxford Center itself and the chamber's manufacturer. As the sentencing hearing approaches, the community will be looking for justice and assurances that such a tragedy will not happen again.
About this story
Original reporting by WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News . The Detroit surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 21, 2026 ·
Source: WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News ·
Reading time: 2 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Jeffrey Mosteller, the safety director at the Oxford Center in Troy, pleaded no contest Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter. He’s the first of four defendants to take a plea more than a year after a deadly hyperbaric chamber explosion killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper. Under the sentencing agreemen...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 21, 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News and curated for The Detroit readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Lauren Kostiuk, Jeff Jewell at WDIV ClickOnDetroit (NBC) - Local News. To learn more about how The Detroit selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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