A Missouri mother has been charged with child endangerment after baking her one-month-old daughter to death in an oven.
Mother’s actions went far beyond child endangerment
Police were called to a Kansas City residence, after reports that a baby was not breathing.
When they arrived, first responders were met with the harrowing sight of the child, Za’Riah Mae Thomas, who had burns across her body and whose clothing had melted onto her.
26-year-old Mariah Thomas, identified as the mother, allegedly informed authorities that the child was supposed to be napping, but she mistakenly placed her daughter in a hot oven instead of the crib. A perplexing statement given the tragic outcome.
Friends of Thomas have pointed to mental health concerns, one stating to the Daily Mail, “Mariah had mental issues from what I know and didn’t have the mindset of an adult, she thought like a child.”
The child’s grandfather recounted a chilling phone conversation with Thomas at approximately 1:00 p.m., where she alerted him that “something was wrong with the baby,” prompting his immediate return to the house.
Upon arrival, he was greeted by the smell of smoke and the horrific discovery of the infant having succumbed inside the cooking appliance.
Court documents reveal that Thomas later admitted to the misplacement of her daughter as an “accident.”
Thomas, who is currently detained at the Jackson County Detention Center, invoked her Fifth Amendment right, choosing not to comment further on the advice of her counsel. She is currently in custody at the Jackson County Detention Center.
Father’s malicious acts of child endangerment met with a light sentence
In a separate case with an equally troubling nature, a Houston lawyer faces a six-month slap on the wrist prison sentence and a decade of probation for intentionally harming his pregnant wife with abortion-inducing drugs.
39-year-old Mason Herring, founder and managing partner of the Herring Law Firm, has pleaded guilty to the assault of Catherine Herring, his wife.
Herring’s plot reportedly began to form during couple’s therapy, where the revelation of an unplanned third pregnancy was met with disdain by Herring.
He soon embarked on an affair with a co-worker and told his wife that the pregnancy would ruin his future plans and tarnish his reputation.
Mason attempted to sabotage the pregnancy by insisting Catherine stay hydrated and giving her cups of cloudy water.
After drinking from the cups, Catherine began experiencing adverse health effects that sent her to the hospital. Doctors couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with her, but she started to suspect her husband was behind her mysterious illness.
Bad dad’s child endangerment scheme has lifelong effects
It wasn’t until Catherine Herring discovered drug packaging for misoprostol, a chemical abortion drug, in the trash and subsequently set up hidden cameras that Mason’s insidious acts were revealed.
Surveillance footage subsequently provided to authorities captured him attempting to administer the substance in her drink.
The repercussions of his repeated attempts to end the pregnancy include their daughter being born prematurely, leading to developmental delays requiring extensive therapy.
Catherine Herring, now pursuing a divorce, spoke out about the inadequacy of Mason’s six-month jail term.
“I do not believe that 180 days is justice for attempting to kill your child seven separate times,” she stated.
