A mom in the US was arrested after she allegedly “accidentally placed” her baby in the oven instead of the crib, causing the infants death, prosecutors said on Saturday.
Mariah Thomas, 26, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in the first-degree in the death of her one-month-old baby, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office in Missouri.
Kansas City Police responded to a residence around 1.30pm on Friday after reports of a non-breathing infant, prosecutors said.
Police found the child “with apparent burns” and other injuries near the front door of the home.
Prosecutors stated in the news release: “[Police] were told the mother of the child was putting the child down for a nap and accidentally placed the child in the oven instead of the crib.”
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Kansas City Police said in a statement: “This is a suspicious death investigation at this time. Detectives want to make sure to gather all evidence with this opportunity, to ensure the case is able to be investigated in the event the medical examiner rules the cause of death a homicide.”
The mom faces a charge of class A felony of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree, death of a child.
If she is convicted, Thomas could face anywhere from 10 years to life in prison, according to Missouri state law.
The prosecution’s statement read: “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.”
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