Mariah Thomas: Friend of Missouri mom who baked baby in oven claims she had mental issues and 'thought like a child’
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: Someone who calls herself a friend of the Missouri mother who baked her baby in an oven claims that the 26-year-old had mental issues.
New details emerged about Mariah Thomas, mother of 1-month-old Za’Riah Mae, who allegedly mistook an oven for a crib and caused the infant’s death.
Mariah Thomas had 'mental issues,' claims friend
Officials in Kansas City found Za’Riah Mae dead with burn injuries on Friday, February 9. The girl’s mother, Mariah Thomas, allegedly told investigators that she thought she had put the girl in her crib but “accidentally put her in the oven.”
Thomas has since been charged with endangering the welfare of a child leading to death, a felony, according to reports.
Now, someone who claims to be Thomas’ friend told the Daily Mail that Thomas may have had mental health or cognitive challenges, which may have been a factor in causing the death of her child.
"Mariah had mental issues from what I know and didn’t have the mindset of an adult, she thought like a child,” the unnamed friend told the Daily Mail.
Mariah Thomas' father made horrific discovery
The baby's grandfather reported to the police that he received a call informing him that something was wrong and he needed to get home right away. The grandfather said to the authorities that he smelled smoke coming from the house and saw the baby in a cot.
The grandmother of the child said that when Thomas contacted her, she was screaming "hysterically." It is reported that Thomas resided with her parents. Za'Riah Mae had on a diaper and bodysuit that seemed to have melted on her when she was discovered.
Police also recovered a charred baby blanket.
On social media, Thomas appeared to be a doting mother, writing in one post that she wanted to be “the best mother I can be to my beautiful daughter,” according to a Facebook account reviewed by Crime Online.
Another post raised questions about her state of mind. Once she wrote on her X account, “Mfs claim they my friend by don’t never check up on me or Za’Riah."
