Two Michigan parents face second-degree murder charges after their 7-year-old son died weighing 255 pounds. Authorities say the boy had no regular medical care.
Damien O'Brien, 40, and Jessica O'Brien, 41, are in Genesee County Jail on no bond. They are accused in the death of their son, Casper Jacob Shane O'Brien.
Police responded to the family's Flint Township home on November 4, 2025, after a report of a child in distress. Casper was taken to a hospital and died there. His cause of death was listed as dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that can result from severe obesity.
At the time of his death, the boy stood just over 4 feet tall. Prosecutors noted that he had seen a doctor only once and had no pediatrician. The couple also have a 5-year-old daughter.
The parents are scheduled to appear in court on July 2. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton described the case as one of extreme neglect.