By Max Reinhart, The Detroit News
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 bond for Jeffrey Alan Mosteller, of Clinton Township, was lowered from $250,000, which was set at his arraignment March 11, to $50,000 during a hearing Wednesday.
His co-defendants Aleta Moffitt, of Rochester Hills, and Gary Marken, of Spring Harbor, posted bond Wednesday. Mosteller, 64, was the safety director at the Oxford Center, 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 Coooper 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 mandating 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 morning.
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, of Brighton, was held on a $2 million bond, which had not been posted as of Thursday morning.
Each is scheduled to next appear in court for a probable cause conference at 9 a.m. April 30.
Staff Writer Charles E. Ramirez contributed.
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