Skip to content

Crime and JusticeUnited States1 min read

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

Damien and Jessica O'Brien of Flint Township face murder and child abuse charges following the death of their 7-year-old son, Casper.

Share

Topics

Side-by-side mugshots of a woman (left) in a yellow jumpsuit with glasses and red hair, and a bearded man (right) in an orange jumpsuit; both have neutral expressions.

FLINT, Mich., June 28 (Our Michigan Times) — Michigan parents Damien O’Brien and Jessica O’Brien have been charged in Genesee County 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 reviewed by news outlets identify Damien O’Brien as 40 and Jessica O’Brien as 41. Prosecutors say Casper died Nov. 4, 2025, after a 911 call from the Flint Township home reported he was not breathing.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said in a statement quoted in coverage that he believed the parents neglected the child to the point that he became obese. Coverage citing his statement said prosecutors describe the case as involving reckless and intentional neglect.

The reporting says court records show Casper weighed 255 pounds at the time of his death. Online records also show both parents are expected to appear at a probable cause conference Thursday.

Share

Topics

Tracy Simmons

Tracy Simmons is a senior national politics reporter for Times Media Service, based in Washington, D.C. Simmons covers national politics, including the people, policies and institutions shaping the federal government, with a focus on government accountability and public policy. Simmons holds a master's degree in journalism and grew up in College Park, Maryland.

Write to Tracy