Prosecutors said Casper O’Brien weighed 255 pounds and had suffered severe neglect before his death.
FLINT TOWNSHIP, MI — A Flint Township couple has been charged with second-degree murder after prosecutors said their 7-year-old son died in 2025 from heart disease tied to morbid obesity and severe neglect.
Damien O’Brien, 40, and Jessica O’Brien, 41, are accused in the death of their son, Casper O’Brien. Genesee County prosecutors said the boy weighed 255 pounds, was 4 feet 2 inches tall and was immobile before his death. The case now centers on whether prosecutors can prove the parents’ alleged failure to provide medical care, safe living conditions and basic care amounted to murder under Michigan law.
The charges were filed after an investigation that began Nov. 4, 2025, when Jessica O’Brien called 911 shortly before 9 a.m. to report that Casper was not breathing, authorities said. Police and emergency medical workers responded to the family’s Flint Township home and found the boy in a makeshift sleeping area where investigators said he had slept with his parents and 5-year-old sister. EMS workers performed CPR before Casper was taken to a Flint hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the case involved “wanton and willful neglect” of the boy’s care, welfare and medical needs.
The Genesee County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Casper’s cause of death as dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease, with morbid obesity as a contributing condition. Prosecutors said the felony complaint accuses the parents of failing to provide proper nutrition, medical treatment, exercise support and a safe home. Authorities also said Casper suffered bed sores, rashes and other health problems before his death. Investigators said the boy did not have regular medical care and had been taken to a doctor only once. In February 2024, he was referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, but prosecutors said he was not taken to that specialist. The defense has not yet presented its case in court, and the charges remain allegations.
Investigators also described the home as unsafe and unsanitary. Police and child welfare workers said the rental home had piles of trash and a broken toilet filled with feces. Court records say the couple also faces a second-degree child abuse charge tied to the presence of their 5-year-old daughter. Prosecutors said the girl was found dirty, with knots in her hair, and was naked outside when law enforcement arrived. Authorities said the daughter is now in protective custody. Leyton said neither child had been enrolled in school and child protective services had not previously been called to the home. Officials said the children had little or no formal record with public systems before the investigation.
Casper was autistic and did not attend school, according to authorities. Prosecutors said the family had health insurance and that Damien O’Brien had steady employment, details they said mattered because the parents had the means to seek medical care. Leyton said the facts alleged in the complaint showed “cruel and extreme suffering” caused by neglect. The prosecutor’s office said investigators also learned the parents had called a veterinarian about the family dog on the morning Casper died. Officials did not say whether that call affected the timing of the 911 call. The full sequence of events from that morning is expected to be addressed as the criminal case moves through court.
Damien and Jessica O’Brien are charged with second-degree murder, torture and three counts of second-degree child abuse. If convicted of the most serious charges, each could face life in prison. Both were being held without bond at the Genesee County Jail. Their next court appearance is scheduled for July 2. Prosecutors are expected to rely on medical records, the autopsy findings, photographs or reports from inside the home, and testimony from investigators and child welfare workers. Attorneys for the parents had not issued a public response to the allegations as of Friday.
Casper’s obituary described him as a bright and loving child who enjoyed the children’s show “Super Monsters,” especially the character Frankie Mash. The obituary said his joyful spirit touched people around him. The public court record gives a far different account of his final months, with prosecutors alleging that his declining health and living conditions were visible and severe. The case has drawn attention in Genesee County because officials said both children had remained outside school and child welfare systems before Casper’s death. Leyton said the allegations reflect “extraordinary, terrible neglect.”
The investigation remains active as prosecutors prepare for the next hearing. The O’Briens are due back in court July 2, when the case is expected to move into its next procedural stage.
Author note: Last updated June 26, 2026.