Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old mother in Kansas City, Missouri, the United States, for baking her one-month-old daughter, Za’riah Mae, to death.
According to the reports, Mariah Thomas was charged with endangering the life of a child after authorities discovered her lifeless daughter with severe burn injuries.
Cops were called to the mom’s Kansas City home to report reports of a child not breathing on Friday, the day after Thomas’ birthday.
When they arrived, they found the infant covered in burns, with her ‘blackened’ clothing melted onto her diaper.
A close friend of Thomas, speaking to the Daily Mail, described Za’Riah as a joyful baby, always wearing a smile.
She hinted at possible mental health issues plaguing Thomas, suggesting they might have contributed to the horrific event.
According to Za’Riah’s grandfather, he received an alarming call from Thomas urging him to return home immediately due to an emergency concerning the baby.
Upon his return, a horrifying sight awaited him: Za’Riah, lifeless in her crib, allegedly placed there by Thomas in a tragic accident involving an oven.
She has been detained at the Jackson County Detention Center, where she has awaited trial as the community grapples with the unthinkable tragedy that has shattered lives.
