A mother from Kansas City, Missouri, has been arrested for allegedly causing the death of her 1-month-old daughter by placing her in the oven for a nap instead of her crib, according to the authorities.
Mariah Thomas, aged 26, faces charges of first-degree endangerment of a child leading to death and could potentially receive a sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment if convicted.
As per the charging documents, officers from the Kansas City Police Department were sent to a residence on Forest Avenue around 1:30 p.m. on Friday in response to reports of an infant that was not breathing.
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Upon arrival, officers conversed with the individual who had called emergency services, holding the 1-month-old infant, who exhibited signs of burns on the body. The Kansas City Fire Department also attended the scene and pronounced the baby dead.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Thomas intended to put the child down for a nap and allegedly placed her in the oven instead of the crib by mistake, according to charging documents.
Police stated that the infant suffered thermal injuries across different areas of her body, despite being dressed in a bodysuit and a diaper.
The police noted that the clothing seemed to have melted onto the diaper. Additionally, in the living room, there was a baby blanket with noticeable burn marks, along with a pack and play containing baby blankets.
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Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker commented on the tragic nature of the incident, "We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy, and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life. We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances."
