Parents Charged With Murder After Overfeeding And Neglecting 7-Year-Old Son Who Weighed 255 Pounds

This is a horrific case of child neglect.

Parents of a 7-year-old in Michigan have been charged with murder after overfeeding and neglecting their son who weighed 255 pounds at his death.

Authorities reported the 7-year-old boy was living in fifth before he died from morbid obesity.

Fox News had more details to share on the case of child abuse:

The parents of a 7-year-old boy who died weighing 255 pounds have been charged with murder following a case of suspected neglect near Flint, Michigan.

Damien and Jessica O’Brien are charged with second-degree murder, torture and child abuse, according to authorities.

First responders were called to the O’Brien’s’ home in November after their son, Casper, stopped breathing, according to a report from affiliate FOX 2 Detroit.

The young boy was bedridden, unable to speak and living in filth, according to the report. He ultimately died at the hospital from a heart muscle disease compounded by morbid obesity.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told the outlet the conditions were so severe that police noted they could not enter the house to help paramedics because there was no room.

Both parents were employed and had health insurance, but neither Casper — who Leyton noted was nonverbal and likely on the autism spectrum — nor his younger sister received medical care, according to the report.

Here’s the mugshot of the parents and a photo of Casper:

Michigan couple Damien and Jessica O’Brien, were arrested and charged with second-degree murder, torture and child abuse after their 7-year-old son died of heart disease weighing over 200 pounds pic.twitter.com/gnQ8A3Qy5H

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 28, 2026

CBS reported Casper never went to school:

According to Leyton, Casper O’Brien was bedridden and never went to school.

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“I don’t believe anybody from the school district, CPS, the police, anybody in the government even knew these children existed,” he said.

The parent’s landlord, according to Leyton, told police that he had been concerned because the house had fallen into disrepair and Damien O’Brien said they couldn’t go inside. The prosecutor added that the family had health insurance and only took Casper O’Brien to a physician one time.

ABC 12 reports:

Michigan parents charged with second-degree murder after their 7-year-old son died, weighing 255 pounds.

Casper O’Brien was just 4'2'' but weighed 255 pounds when he passed away, over 4x the weight of a healthy 7-year-old at that height.

Damien and Jessica O’Brien were charged… pic.twitter.com/1RSI4JZhYP

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 26, 2026