Michigan parents face murder and child abuse charges in death of 7-year-old boy who weighed 255 pounds

Booking photos of Damien O'Brien and Jessica O'Brien are shown. (Genesee County Sheriff's Office via CNN Newsource)

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Months after a 7-year-old boy who weighed 255 pounds died in Michigan, his parents face murder and child abuse charges in connection with his death, court documents say.

Casper O’Brien, who lived with his family in Flint Township, Mich., died on Nov. 4, 2025, after paramedics responded to a 911 call about a child having difficulty breathing, CNN affiliate WNEM reported, citing the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office.

The boy was in distress and unable to move, the news station reported.

He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease in which the chambers of the heart become enlarged and too weak to pump blood efficiently, an autopsy report from the Genesee County Medical Examiner shows. The disease is often associated with severe obesity, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.

The boy’s parents, Damien and Jessica O’Brien, were charged on June 23 with second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree child abuse, court filings show. If convicted, they could face up to life in prison.

One of the child abuse charges against the O’Briens is in connection with Casper’s sister, prosecutors said. When authorities responded to the Michigan home last year, they found the 5-year-old girl dirty with knots in her hair and “morbidly overweight,” court filings say.

Attorneys for each of the parents said it was “premature” and “too early” to comment on the allegations – both noting they have not received discovery from the government yet.

“As in all criminal matters, 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 courtroom, not through the media,” said Elias Fanous, an attorney representing Damien O’Brien.

The couple are expected in court on July 2, the prosecutor’s office said. They are being held at the Genesee County Jail.

At the time of his death, Casper was 4 feet, 2 inches tall, and had a BMI of 71.7, according to the autopsy report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s growth charts show the typical BMI for a boy his age is about 16.

Casper wasn’t enrolled in school and was last seen by his primary doctor in 2024 when he weighed just over 104 pounds and was diagnosed with acute cough, throat congestion and metabolic disease, according to the Genesee County Medical Examiner. During his visit, he was referred to a pediatric endocrinologist, but the boy never saw one, the report said.

The family appeared to be living in an “unkempt” home with “piles of trash throughout most of the residence,” the medical examiner wrote, citing law enforcement and Children’s Protective Services. Casper didn’t like water, bathing him was difficult, and his diet consisted of potato chips and fries.

“This was a sad and horrific case involving the wanton and willful neglect by two parents for the care, welfare and medical needs of their son,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told CNN Monday.

“Their neglect led to their child suffering severe bed sores, various rashes and other physical health disorders including extreme morbid obesity that ultimately led to his early death,” Leyton added.

By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN