Mom who says she mistakenly put newborn in oven instead of crib learns her fate

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - A woman in Kansas City was sentenced after she placed her 1-month-old in an oven rather than a crib.

Mariah Thomas was sentenced to 13 years for the felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death.

Thomas pleaded guilty Tuesday and accepted her sentence, with a first-degree murder charge being dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Thomas’ child died in February 2024.

Officers responded to a home on a report that an infant wasn’t breathing on Feb. 10, 2024. The baby was found dead at the scene.

Detectives said the circumstances were suspicious enough to cause concern, leading to an investigation.

Reportedly, first responders at the scene noticed burns on the child, who was not breathing when they arrived.

They said Thomas told them that she was putting the child down for a nap but accidentally put the child in the oven instead of the crib.