Police: Baby Dies After Mom Puts Her in Oven for a Nap

An infant in Missouri died when her mother mistakenly put her down for a nap in an oven, a prosecutor said Saturday. Mariah Thomas of Kansas City was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, reports the AP. The Kansas City Star notes that the charge against Thomas is a felony. Police responded Friday afternoon to a report of an infant not breathing. A probable cause affidavit said responders found the child with apparent burns and melted clothing.

A baby blanket with "significant burn marks" was also found in the living room, according to the affidavit. The 1-month-old child, who police say was found in a car seat in the living room near the front door, was pronounced dead at the scene. The statement said responders were told by a witness that the mother says she "put the child down for a nap and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib."

The statement didn't offer an explanation about how the mistake happened. "We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life," Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker said in a statement. "We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances." (More child death stories.)