A Kansas City, Missouri, mother was arrested on suspicion of forcing her 1-month-old daughter to nap in an oven instead of a crib, causing the infant’s death, authorities said.
Mariah Thomas, 26, is charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death and could be sentenced to 10 years to life if convicted.
According to the indictment, on Friday around 1:30 p.m., Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a home on Forest Avenue in response to a report of an infant who was not breathing.
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Mariah Thomas was arrested for allegedly putting her infant daughter in the oven instead of her crib when she put her to bed for a nap. (Jackson County Detention Center)
When officers arrived, they spoke with the caller who was holding a one-month-old child, who appeared to have suffered burns to his body. The Kansas City Fire Department also responded to the scene and confirmed the infant was dead.
According to the indictment, a preliminary investigation revealed that Thomas went to put the child down for a nap and “accidentally” put the child in the oven instead of the crib.
Police said the toddler suffered burns to various parts of his body because he was wearing a bodysuit and diaper.
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Police said the clothing appeared to have melted into the diaper. Also in the living room was a baby blanket with large burn marks and a pack and play containing a baby blanket.
“We recognize the tragic nature of this tragedy and are saddened by the loss of this precious life,” Jackson County Attorney Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. “We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to such a terrible situation.”
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An investigation into this matter is ongoing.
