Mariah Thomas, Kansas City, Missouri mom who ‘accidentally’ placed baby daughter in oven, killing her avoids first degree murder and pleads guilty to endangering the welfare of a child leading to death as she is to now serve 13 years without parole in death of daughter, Za’Riah Mae.
A Kansas City, Missouri mother who was looking at life behind bars for allegedly placing her infant baby daughter in an oven and killing her has copped a plea deal.
Mariah Thomas on Tuesday pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of a child leading to death. She will now only serve 13 years jail including two years already served.
According to court documents cited by KSHB, a second charge against Thomas was dropped according to the plea agreement. A superseding indictment filed earlier in the month identified the second charge as first-degree murder.
Kansas City mom claims ‘accidentally’ turning oven with baby inside
The mom had been looking at a potential life behind bars following the 2024 incident which led to the death of her one month old daughter, Za’Riah Mae.
Kansas City, Missouri, police were originally called Feb. 9, 2024, to a home in the 4100 block of Forest Avenue on reports that an infant could not breathe.
Upon arrival, it was discovered the baby was unresponsive and had burn wounds on her body. She died at the scene.
Thomas told family members she thought she had returned her 1-month-old to her crib when she ‘accidentally’ turned on the oven with the baby inside.
Her grandfather told detectives Thomas called him and said ‘something was wrong’ with the baby. When he arrived at the home, he said he smelled smoke and found the infant dead in her crib.
Thomas’ grandmother told detectives her granddaughter also called her around the same time and was yelling ‘hysterically.’
Did Kansas City mom get away with murder?
The one month old was discovered covered with horrific burns, her skin ‘blackened’ and her clothing and diaper fused to her charred skin according to court documents.
During questioning, Thomas claimed ‘putting her child down for a nap, and accidentally placing the child in the oven instead of the crib,’ according to Fox 4.
A friend of Thomas’ told the dailymail that Za’Riah was a ‘very bubbly’ baby, who was ‘smiling all the time’.
The friend suggested mental health may have been at play leading to the mom mistakenly placing the child in the oven instead of her crib.
‘Mariah had mental issues from what I know and didn’t have the mindset of a adult, she thought like a child,’ the friend said.
As part of Thomas’ guilty plea, she was sentenced to 13 years in the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections without probation. She will receive credit for time served.
Thomas is also ordered to pay $68 to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund and submit to fingerprinting according to KHSB.
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