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Crime and JusticeUnited States1 min read

Michigan parents charged in death of 7-year-old son, court records say

Damien and Jessica O’Brien of Flint Township, Michigan, face second-degree murder and child abuse charges in the death of their 7-year-old son.

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Mugshot of a woman with red hair and glasses in a yellow jumpsuit on the left, and a bearded man in an orange jumpsuit on the right.

FLINT, Mich., June 28 (Our Michigan Times) — Damien O’Brien and Jessica O’Brien have been charged in Genesee County, Michigan, with second-degree murder, torture and child abuse in the death of their 7-year-old son, Casper O’Brien, according to court records and the county prosecutor’s office.

Court records and law enforcement accounts cited in coverage say Casper died Nov. 4, 2025, after a 911 call from the family’s Flint Township home reported that he was not breathing. The child weighed 255 pounds at the time of his death, according to the records.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said in a statement that he believed the parents neglected their son to the point that he became obese. In an emailed statement quoted in coverage, Leyton described the case as marked by “reckless and intentional neglect” in the boy’s care, welfare and medical needs.

The charges were brought months after Casper’s death, according to the court records cited in coverage. CBS News reported that the O’Briens were expected to appear at a probable cause conference on Thursday, citing online court records.

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Ralph Stewart

A lifelong Las Vegas resident, Ralph Stewart is the senior Vegas Valley reporter for Times Media Service. Stewart covers local news across the Vegas Valley, including casino resorts and tourism, local government and politics, schools, public safety, development and community life. Stewart holds a master's degree in journalism and media studies.

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