KANSAS CITY, MO – In an incident that has left the community in shock, a mother in Kansas City allegedly placed her one-month-old baby in an oven. This disturbed behavior ultimately led to the infant’s tragic death. Following the incident, 26-year-old Mariah Thomas has been hit with child endangerment charges.
The Kansas City Police Department received a distressing call regarding a child who wasn’t breathing, leading them to Thomas’s residence. Upon their arrival, they discovered the baby, Za’Riah Mae, bearing multiple burn marks and her clothing seemingly melted onto her diaper.
A friend of Thomas, in conversation with DailyMail.com, suggested that the incident could be a reflection of Thomas’s mental health struggles, which even in her adult years, appeared child-like.
Za’Riah’s grandfather’s journey to Thomas’s residence, following a disturbing call from her, led him to a smoky house where he found Za’Riah lifeless inside her crib. From Thomas, he learned that she had mistakenly placed the baby inside an oven.
According to the police report, Za’Riah was discovered in a car seat with visible thermal injuries all over her body. Additionally, a baby blanket and a burnt bodysuit over a diaper, which seemed to have melted from the heat, were collected as evidence.
During an initial police interview, Thomas opted to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment and also gave consent for her blood draw and phone data access.
The social media landscape painted by Thomas depicted her as a devoted mother, making the incident all the more perplexing. Thomas is currently detained at the Jackson County Detention Center awaiting further investigation.