A couple in Michigan have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, child abuse, and torture following the death of their seven-year-old son, Casper O'Brien, who weighed 255 pounds (18 stone) and died of heart failure on November 4, 2025.
Details of the Case
Police responded to a dilapidated property in Flint Township, Michigan, owned by Damien O'Brien, 40, and his wife Jessica O'Brien, 41, after a 911 call about the boy's worsening condition. Casper was rushed to hospital but died from dilated cardiomyopathy with morbid obesity as a contributing factor, according to the medical examiner.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton described the case as "cruel and extreme suffering from this child caused by the neglect of the parents." He noted that Casper did not have a pediatrician and was only taken to a doctor once. At the time of death, Casper was 4 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 255 pounds, far exceeding the CDC's healthy weight range of 50 to 73 pounds for a boy of that height.
Neglect Allegations
The couple also has a five-year-old daughter. Police stated that neither child attended school or regularly saw a doctor. The home was described as a hoarding situation. Leyton revealed that the couple contacted their dog's veterinarian for treatment on the morning of Casper's death.
"None of these kids even existed in the eyes of the government. CPS had never been out there, nobody knew about these kids, they had not been to school," Leyton said. He added that the neglect constituted "willful and wanton misconduct, which is second-degree murder."
Parental Background and Legal Proceedings
Damien O'Brien was documented as having steady employment with health insurance. A tribute page for Casper's funeral on November 6, 2025, described him as a "bright, loving young boy whose joyful spirit touched everyone around him. He loved watching Super Monsters, especially his favorite character, Frankie Mash."
Both parents are currently held without bail at Genesee County Jail. Their next court hearing is scheduled for July 2.
