According to records from the Jackson County Court in Missouri, 28-year-old Mariah Thomas admitted on Tuesday, September 22, to the charge of “first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death” and was sentenced to serve 13 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
As part of a plea agreement, Thomas was sentenced, but the first-degree murder charge against her was dropped. She was not granted probation, and the time she has already served will count towards her sentence.
The mother claimed that she accidentally placed her 1-month-old baby in the oven instead of the crib.
The incident occurred over two years ago when Kansas City police found Thomas’ infant daughter dead from severe burns inside a residence. Court documents revealed that this nightmare unfolded around 1:30 p.m. on February 9, 2024, when authorities received a call reporting that a baby was unresponsive.
Upon arriving at the scene, emergency personnel discovered the 1-month-old baby with multiple visible burns on her body, and the Kansas City Fire Department personnel pronounced the infant dead on the scene.
Investigators learned that Thomas was getting ready to put her daughter down for a nap but “accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib.” A family member later informed detectives that Thomas said, “I thought I put her in the crib, but instead, I accidentally put her in the oven.”
The baby was wearing a onesie with a diaper underneath. Investigators noted that the child’s clothes appeared to have melted onto the diaper. According to the police report, a baby blanket with obvious burn marks was also found in the living room.
FOX 4 Kansas City confirmed that the baby’s name was Zariah Thomas.
Documents revealed that Thomas initially refused to speak with detectives after being informed of her rights but later agreed to provide a blood sample and allowed investigators to access data on her phone.
In February 2024, then-Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced the initial charges, describing the child’s death as a “terrible” tragedy. Baker stated, “We acknowledge the brutality of this tragedy, the loss of this precious life is deeply heartbreaking, and we trust that the criminal justice system will appropriately address these horrific events.”
The initial indictment only charged Thomas with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death. Court records showed that the prosecution later added a first-degree murder charge.
Judge Sarah A. Castle determined that Thomas entered a voluntary plea and understood the charges and their consequences. The judgment confirmed that there were no mental health or defect defense reasons for Thomas.
Thomas has been remanded to the custody of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office awaiting transfer to a state prison. The judge ordered her to pay $68 to the Missouri Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund but waived all other litigation fees.
(Reference: FOX NEWS)