“The most heinous thing I have heard”: Mariah Thomas allegedly baking newborn daughter in oven, mistaking it for a crib sparks concerns online

Missouri-based woman Mariah Thomas has been trending in the headlines after accidentally baking her baby, Za'Riah Mae, in an oven. According to the Mirror, this happened after Mariah Thomas reportedly misunderstood the one-month-old as a crib.

Mae was discovered with burn injuries throughout her body, along with melted clothing. The Kansas City Star reported that Mae died on February 9, 2024, and prosecutor Jean Peters Baker expressed her gratitude towards those who immediately responded to the incident. She added:

"We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances."

The incident has grabbed the public's attention on social media, and they have shared their reactions on X. One of them described it as one of the most "heinous" incidents of all time.

A reaction to the incident (Image via unlimited_ls/X)

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Mariah Thomas was putting her baby to sleep when the incident happened: Netizens react to the incident

The news of Mariah Thomas accidentally putting her baby inside the oven has led to a debate about child endangerment. Mariah's arrest warrant revealed that she was taking her child to sleep when she accidentally put her inside the oven. The 26-year-old is currently in custody, and her phone has been seized by the police, as per the Mirror.

While the motive behind the incident remains unknown, her friends allegedly believe that her mental health was the reason. Meanwhile, netizens have posted their reactions to the incident on X:

Netizens share their reactions on X (Image via unlimited_ls/X)

Netizens share their reactions on X (Image via unlimited_ls/X)

Netizens share their reactions on X (Image via unlimited_ls/X)

Netizens share their reactions on X (Image via unlimited_ls/X)

The legal documents acquired by KSHB 41 Kansas City state that Mariah Thomas revealed to her father that she put the child inside the oven. Mariah's father received a call from Mariah on Friday, and after arriving home, he felt something was burning inside. The man went inside and discovered the baby in a crib.

Mariah Thomas might be sentenced to around 10 to 30 years based on the charges imposed. The identity of the baby was not revealed initially by the authorities, and the neighbors also expressed their shock at the time. A woman named Corrine Foreman told Fox 4 that she "hears sirens" and added:

"The next thing I know, there's a baby carrier being transported between the MED-ACT and the house."

The incident happened on Friday, and the baby was not breathing when the authorities found her inside a car.

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Condition of the baby and further updates on the case

An arrest warrant acquired by The Kansas City Star mentioned that the baby's clothes melted to her diaper, and the police discovered a blanket with burns in another room. The exact circumstances leading to the accident are yet to be made official.

As mentioned earlier, Mariah's mental issues were believed to be the cause behind the incident. A friend of Mariah, whose identity has not been disclosed, told Daily Mail:

"Mariah had mental issues from what I know and didn't have the mindset of an adult, she thought like a child."

Mariah's Facebook account revealed that she celebrated her birthday three days ago. She even shared a picture of her baby the following day. As of this writing, details on Mariah's profession and personal life have not been revealed.