Parents accused of death of 7-year-old boy who weighed 115 kg

Months after the death of a 7-year-old boy who weighed more than 250 pounds in Michigan, his parents face murder and child abuse charges in connection with the case, according to court documents.

Casper O'Brien, who lived with his family in Flint Township, Michigan, died on November 4, 2025, after emergency crews responded to a 911 call reporting that a child was having trouble breathing.

The information comes from CNN affiliate WNEM, based in the Genesee County District Attorney's Office.

According to the broadcaster, the boy was in critical condition and was unable to move.

According to the Genesee County coroner's autopsy report, Casper died as a result of dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart disease in which the heart's chambers become enlarged and too weak to pump blood efficiently.

The condition is often associated with morbid obesity, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater.

The child's parents, Damien and Jessica O'Brien, were charged June 23 with unpremeditated murder and three counts of second-degree child abuse, according to court records. If convicted, they could face life in prison.

One of the child abuse allegations against the couple relates to Casper's sister. When authorities visited the family's Michigan home last year, they found the 5-year-old girl dirty, with tangled hair and "morbidly obese," according to court documents.

Lawyers for the two parents stated that it is still "premature" and "too early" to comment on the accusations, highlighting that they have not yet received the case documentation sent by the Prosecutor's Office.

"As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. O'Brien is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. I will defend Mr. O'Brien in the courts, not through the press," said Elias Fanous, Damien O'Brien's defense attorney.

The couple is scheduled to appear in court on July 2, the Prosecutor's Office said. Both are currently being held in the Genesee County Jail.

At the time of death, Casper was 1.27 meters tall and had a body mass index (BMI) of 71.7, according to the autopsy report. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts, the typical BMI for a child of the same age is approximately 16.

Casper was not attending school and was last seen by his doctor in 2024. At the time, he weighed about 100 pounds and was diagnosed with an acute cough, throat congestion and a metabolic disease, according to the Genesee County coroner.

During the consultation, he was referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, but was never seen by the specialist, the report states.

According to the coroner, based on information from authorities and Child Protective Services, the family lived in a "poorly maintained" house, with "piles of trash scattered throughout much of the residence." Casper didn't like water, taking a shower was a difficult task, and his diet consisted mainly of tortilla chips and French fries from fast-food chains.

"This was a sad and horrific case that involved two parents' deliberate and unjustifiable neglect of their child's care, well-being and medical needs," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told CNN on Monday.

"Their negligence caused the child to develop severe pressure ulcers, multiple rashes and other physical health problems, including extreme morbid obesity, a condition that ultimately led to his premature death," Leyton added.

Source: CNN