Mother Maria Thomas sentenced to 13 years for daughter’s death
24 september 2026 в 05:13
A mother from Missouri, Maria Thomas, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after admitting that she accidentally placed her 1-month-old daughter in a hot oven, mistaking it for a crib. The court in Jackson County issued the sentence on September 22, 2024, for endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in death.
Thomas, 28, pleaded guilty in connection with the death of her daughter Za’Riya May in February 2024. As part of a plea agreement, she accepted a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, while the first-degree murder charge was dropped.
Police were called to a home in the Mannheim Park area of Kansas City on February 10, 2024, after reports that a 1-month-old baby was severely burned and not breathing. Upon arrival, firefighters declared the child dead. It is unclear how long the girl had been in the oven before she was discovered.
At the time of her arrest, Thomas told police that she «was putting the baby to sleep and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib». The child’s grandfather also confirmed that Thomas told him, «I thought I put (the baby) in her crib, but accidentally put her in the oven».
Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker thanked the first responders for their work at the scene and noted that «our hearts are heavy with the loss of this precious life». In Missouri, endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death can carry a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Thomas, 28, pleaded guilty in connection with the death of her daughter Za’Riya May in February 2024. As part of a plea agreement, she accepted a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, while the first-degree murder charge was dropped.
Police were called to a home in the Mannheim Park area of Kansas City on February 10, 2024, after reports that a 1-month-old baby was severely burned and not breathing. Upon arrival, firefighters declared the child dead. It is unclear how long the girl had been in the oven before she was discovered.
At the time of her arrest, Thomas told police that she «was putting the baby to sleep and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib». The child’s grandfather also confirmed that Thomas told him, «I thought I put (the baby) in her crib, but accidentally put her in the oven».
Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker thanked the first responders for their work at the scene and noted that «our hearts are heavy with the loss of this precious life». In Missouri, endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death can carry a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
© Smirnova Olga
