A Missouri woman, Mariah Thomas, 28, pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death. She received a 13-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Incident Details
The event occurred on February 9, 2024. Kansas City police found Thomas’ 1-month-old daughter dead with severe burns in a home. Thomas claimed she accidentally put the baby in an oven instead of a crib.
Plea Agreement
Thomas faced a first-degree murder charge, dismissed as part of her plea deal. She received no probation and gets credit for time served.
Official Response
Jean Peters Baker, the then-Jackson County Prosecutor, described the child’s death as a ‘gruesome’ tragedy when announcing the original charges.
Legal Proceedings
Judge Sarah A. Castle confirmed that Thomas entered her plea freely and had no mental disease defense. Thomas will contribute $68 to Missouri’s Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.
Stepheny Price, a writer for Fox News, focuses on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, crime stories, and border security.