A Missouri mom was arrested after she allegedly burned her 1-month-old baby to death in an oven Friday, the Kansas City Star reported.
Mariah Thomas faces a class A felony charge for endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Kansas City Star. Court documents reveal that Thomas reportedly placed her 1-month-old baby in an oven, mistaking it for the infant’s crib. The infant was found with severe burn marks and clothing that appeared to have melted, indicating the horrific nature of the injuries.
Jean Peters Baker, the prosecutor, addressed the situation. “We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life,” Baker said, Kansas City Star reported. “We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances.” (RELATED: Infant Discovered Dead In Hot Car, Babysitter Gets Arrested, Police Say)
Missouri mom, 26, is charged with baking her newborn baby daughter to death in an OVEN ‘after mistaking kitchen appliance for infant’s crib’, leaving tortured girl’s clothes melted to her diaper https://t.co/fK5Da4Sx1y pic.twitter.com/AbrRI2WDMe
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 11, 2024
The discovery was made when Kansas City police were called to the scene following reports of a non-responsive infant, the outlet stated. The baby was found in a car seat near the home’s entrance, exhibiting clear signs of thermal injuries, according to police affidavits. A witness statement in the affidavit indicated a mix-up where Thomas allegedly placed the child in the oven instead of the crib.
“I thought I put (redacted) in her crib and I accidentally put her in the oven,” the mom allegedly said, Kansas City Star reported. Neighbor Corinne Foreman described the neighborhood as generally peaceful, often filled with playing children. The sudden distress cries and ensuing emergency response alerted the community to the incident. “And the next thing you know, I just heard, ‘They’re gone. They’re gone,’” Foreman recounted.
The Department of Social Services has yet to comment on the incident.