A Missouri mother has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the 2024 death of her infant daughter in Kansas City.

Mariah Thomas, 28, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, according to Jackson County court records. As part of the plea agreement, a first-degree murder charge against her was dismissed.

Mother Receives 13-Year Prison Sentence
Jackson County Judge Sarah A. Castle accepted Thomas’ guilty plea and sentenced her to 13 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

The sentence does not include probation, and Thomas will receive credit for time already served, according to court records. She was also ordered to make a payment to Missouri’s Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.

The plea agreement brought an end to a case that had been under investigation for more than two years.

Infant Died in February 2024
The case began on February 9, 2024, when Kansas City police responded to a home after receiving a report that an infant was not breathing.

Responders found the 1-month-old girl unresponsive and observed serious burn injuries. Emergency personnel pronounced the child dead at the scene.

The infant was identified in local reporting as Za’Riah Thomas.

According to court documents, investigators were told that Thomas had intended to put her daughter down for a nap but mistakenly placed her in an oven rather than the crib. The circumstances prompted a criminal investigation.

Murder Charge Dismissed Under Plea Agreement
Thomas was initially charged with child endangerment. Prosecutors later pursued more serious charges as the investigation and court proceedings continued.

A first-degree murder charge was ultimately dismissed as part of Tuesday’s plea agreement. Thomas instead pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death.

The court determined that Thomas entered the plea voluntarily and understood the consequences of the agreement.

Case Drew Attention After 2024 Death
The infant’s death received national attention when authorities first announced the unusual circumstances surrounding the case in February 2024.

At the time, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker acknowledged the severity of the tragedy and said authorities would rely on the criminal justice system to address the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

More than two years later, the case has now reached a conclusion through a negotiated guilty plea rather than a jury trial.

Thomas Begins Prison Sentence
Thomas was returned to Jackson County custody following Tuesday’s hearing while awaiting transfer to state prison.

The case is now moving into its final stage following the sentencing, while the loss of the infant remains the central tragedy behind the proceedings.

The 13-year sentence follows Thomas’ guilty plea to the child-endangerment charge, while the first-degree murder count was dismissed under the agreement.

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