A Kansas City, Missouri mother, Mariah Thomas, was charged after her one-month-old infant died from burns after allegedly being mistakenly placed in an oven instead of a crib. The incident occurred in February 2024.
According to court documents and police statements, Thomas told an adult living in the home that she thought she was putting the baby down for a nap in her crib but accidentally placed her in the oven. The baby’s grandfather arrived home to find the house smelling of smoke and the infant deceased with “apparent burns” and “thermal injuries”.
Mariah Thomas was initially charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in death, and later a grand jury added a charge of involuntary manslaughter. She has pleaded not guilty. Mariah Thomas has not yet received a known verdict that has been publicly reported.