Mariah Thomas: Mom who killed daughter by putting her in oven mistaking it for crib has bail halved

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: A Kansas City mother, Mariah Thomas, is facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child following the death of her one-month-old daughter Za'Riah Mae.

In a hearing held on Tuesday, Thomas' bail was reduced from $200,000 to $100,000 by Jackson County Judge Travis Willingham. The decision to lower the bail came after Thomas's attorney argued that her client's bond should be reduced due to her lack of a criminal history.

Mariah Thomas recevies bail reduction during recent hearing

Acccording to Daily Mail, Mariah Thomas, a mother from Missouri, accused of accidentally baking her newborn daughter to death in an oven, possibly mistaking it for a crib, may now be released for only $10,000 after a judge halved her bail. 

This means she only needs to come up with 10 percent of that amount. During the hearing, prosecutors argued that Thomas is a flight risk and poses a danger to the community.

What happened to Za’Riah?

Police responded to the mother's Kansas City residence following reports of an unresponsive child on February 9, the day after Thomas' birthday. Upon arrival, they discovered the infant covered in burns, with her clothing melted onto her diaper.

According to Za'Riah's grandfather, he received a distressing call from her mother around 1 pm on Friday, informing him of an issue with the baby and urging him to return home immediately.

Upon his return, he detected the smell of smoke and found Za'Riah deceased in her crib.

Za'Riah was found by police in a car seat inside the home, showing signs of thermal injuries on various parts of her body. She was wearing a bodysuit over a diaper, which appeared to have melted and was very dirty, possibly burned.

A charred baby blanket was also discovered and taken as evidence.

What did Mariah Thomas write weeks before Za’Riah’ death?

Following the discovery of Za'Riah's death, her mother, Mariah Thomas, was taken to the police headquarters for questioning. During the interview, she chose to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights to remain silent. However, she agreed to allow detectives to conduct a blood draw and access her phone data.

Thomas's social media portrays her as a loving mother, often referring to her daughter as her princess. In one Facebook post, she expresses her desire to be the best mother to her beautiful daughter.

Another post, shared just weeks before the tragic death of her child, shows Thomas expressing frustration, stating that nobody was looking out for her. She wrote on January 20, "Mfs claim they my friend by don’t never check up on me or Za’Riah"

It's worth noting that Thomas is currently being held at the Jackson County Detention Center.