(StraightNews.org) – A Kansas City mom was arrested for allegedly placing her baby in an oven. A complaint filed in the county circuit court states that Mariah Thomas was charged with endangering the welfare of a child after the one-month-old baby died with apparent burns on its body.
Documents show that first responders were told the mother had intended to place the baby down for a nap but accidentally put the child in the oven instead of a crib. Jackson County prosecuting attorney Jean Peters Baker said, “We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy, and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life.”
Kansas City Police Department officers attended the home on the afternoon of February 9 following a call about a “non-breathing” infant. Paramedics pronounced the child dead at the scene, and police immediately arrested Mariah Thomas.
The baby’s grandmother told police she received a call from her daughter, who was “hysterical” and told her she accidentally placed the child in the oven. Her husband, the baby’s grandfather, added that his wife called him to tell him there was “something wrong” with their grandchild, and he rushed to the scene where he could smell smoke. He found the infant dead in its crib.
When police arrived, the child had been moved and placed in a car seat, and officers found that the baby’s diaper had melted into its skin. They also uncovered a baby blanket scorched with burn marks.
If found guilty, Thomas faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum life term behind bars. It is unclear if she retained an attorney or is suffering from mental health problems.
The case is reminiscent of a horrific incident in Atlanta in 2017. On that occasion, Lamora Williams placed two children in an oven and switched it on. The 2-year-old and 1-year-old died painful deaths, and their mother filmed the aftermath and texted it to their father. She was charged with murder.
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