A Michigan couple has been charged with murder following the death of their seven-year-old son, whom prosecutors say suffered years of severe neglect before dying from health complications linked to morbid obesity.
Damien O’Brien and Jessica O’Brien, of Flint Township, are facing charges including second-degree murder, torture and first-degree child abuse after the death of their son, Casper.
According to prosecutors, the child weighed 255 pounds at the time of his death. At 4 feet 2 inches tall, health guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that a healthy weight for a child of his age and height would typically fall between 50 and 73 pounds.
Authorities say emergency responders were called to the family’s home on November 4, 2025, after a 911 report of a child in medical distress.
Casper was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Investigators say the medical examiner determined the cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, with morbid obesity listed as a contributing factor.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton described the case as one involving “cruel and extreme suffering” allegedly caused by parental neglect.
Leyton also alleged that Casper had never been enrolled in school and that neither he nor his five-year-old sister had effectively existed “in the eyes of the government.”
Prosecutors say the allegations point to years of isolation and neglect that left the child without oversight from public institutions.
The couple has not entered pleas to the charges.
They are scheduled to appear in court on July 2, where the criminal case is expected to proceed.
The investigation into Casper’s death remains ongoing.
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