Michigan parents Damien and Jessica O'Brien are charged with murder, torture, and child abuse after their young son suffered heart failure.

We trust parents to protect their children when they cannot help themselves. But sometimes, the people who should care for a child the most fail him in the worst way.

WHAT HAPPENED

Damien and Jessica O'Brien of Michigan were arrested this week. Police say their seven-year-old son died from heart disease.

When he died, the little boy weighed over 200 pounds.

Doctors say the boy's weight was far too high for his age. This put a massive strain on his young heart.

Officers arrested both parents. Prosecutors charged them with second-degree murder, torture, and child abuse.

What the evidence shows

• The boy was seven years old when he died.
• He weighed more than 200 pounds at his death.
• His official cause of death was heart disease.
• Police charged both Damien and Jessica O'Brien.
• The charges are murder, torture, and child abuse.

THE BIGGER QUESTION

How does a young child reach this weight without anyone stepping in to help? School staff, doctors, and neighbors must have seen that this boy was in deep trouble.

We need to ask why the safety nets built to protect children failed to catch this tragedy before it was too late.

THE OTHER SIDE

We do not yet know the defense of Damien and Jessica O'Brien or what their lawyers will argue in court. They have not made a public statement about the charges.

With the severe medical facts on the table, any defense will face a very hard path in front of a jury.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

The parents are in police custody as they wait for their trial. If found guilty, they could spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Local agencies are looking at how this child's health got so bad without anyone raising an alarm.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

1. Did any doctors or teachers warn the parents about the boy's health?
2. Did the state receive any child abuse reports before the boy died?
3. What was the daily life of the child like in the weeks leading up to his death?

SOURCE NOTE

This news comes from police and court records in Michigan. All charges are allegations - Damien and Jessica O’Brien are presumed innocent until proven guilty.