A 1-month-old baby named Za’riah lost her life after her mother, Mariah Thomas, allegedly placed her in the oven instead of the crib in Kansas City, Missouri.
The distressing event unfolded last Friday, prompting authorities to respond to a call about a “non-breathing infant.”
According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, when first responders arrived, they found the baby with “apparent burns.”
Prosecutors revealed that the mother claimed she mistakenly put the child in the oven, thinking she was placing her in the crib for a nap. Tragically, Za’riah was declared deceased at the scene.
Mariah Thomas, 26, now faces a felony count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree, Death of a Child.
The child’s grandfather, upon returning home, smelled smoke and found the baby lifeless in her crib.
Thomas reportedly confessed, stating, “I thought I put Za’riah in the crib but I accidentally put her in the oven.”
The infant had suffered apparent thermal injuries on various parts of her body. The baby was found wearing a onesie over a diaper, melted together, and a burned blanket was discovered in the home.
A friend of Mariah Thomas, speaking to Daily Beast, revealed that Thomas had a history of mental illness, which began in childhood.
The friend disclosed concerns about Thomas stopping her medication during pregnancy, saying, “She didn’t mean to hurt her baby. She loved her baby dearly.” The friend believes that Thomas’ mental health further deteriorated after giving birth.
