A mother from Missouri, Mariah Thomas, faces over a decade in prison after she accidentally placed her 1-month-old baby in an oven instead of a crib. This tragic incident has resulted in her pleading guilty to a charge of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, which led to a 13-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections, according to court records from Jackson County.
This outcome comes more than two years after the police discovered Thomas’ infant daughter deceased in a Kansas City home, suffering from significant burns. Initially, Thomas was charged with first-degree murder, but that particular charge was dismissed as part of her plea deal.
The events transpired on February 9, 2024, when officers responded to a call about a non-breathing infant around 1:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they found the baby with severe burns, and despite efforts from the Kansas City Fire Department, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to investigators, Thomas told the authorities that she intended to lay her daughter down for a nap but accidentally put her in the oven. A family member later recounted that Thomas expressed, “I thought I put [her] in her crib and I accidentally put her in the oven.” The baby was found wearing a bodysuit over a diaper, and authorities noted that her clothing appeared to have melted onto the diaper. They also collected a baby blanket with burn marks from the living room.
The child was identified as Za’riah Thomas. Initially, Thomas was hesitant to speak with detectives after being read her rights but did agree to provide a blood sample and let investigators access her cellphone data.
At the time of the charges, then-Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker described the events surrounding the child’s death as “gruesome,” emphasizing the tragedy of such a loss. She reassured the public that the criminal justice system would address the situation appropriately.
While the initial complaint against Thomas started with the charge of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, additional charges were later included but ultimately dismissed in this recent agreement. Judge Sarah A. Castle affirmed that Thomas entered her plea knowingly and understood the associated consequences, stating that she did not have any mental disease or defect defenses.
Thomas has been returned to custody while awaiting her transfer to state prison. She is also mandated to pay $68 to the Missouri Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund and all other court costs have been waived.
