When police arrived, they noted that the home smelled like smoke and upon opening the oven they made the horrifying discovery of the month-old child. Officers described the entire scene as "gruesome" and sadly, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The baby's mother has been charged with endangering the walfare of a child in the 1st Degree. At this point it's not entirely clear what the reasoning is behind the mothers horrifying actions, but so far there are suggestions that her mental health could've played a role.
From NDTV:
First responders said that the baby's mother put her down for a nap and accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib. An arrest warrant says the child's clothes were blackened and burnt into her diaper, with reports of her home smelling of smoke, as per Daily Express US. A burnt baby blanket was also found at the scene.
The statement did not provide further clarification on how such an error occurred. Other circumstances around the incident have also not been revealed.
Meanwhile, the baby's mother identified as 26-year-old Mariah Thomas, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. According to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, Thomas ''faces the Class A felony of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree, Death of a Child.''
''We appreciate all first responders who worked this scene and the prosecutors who went to the scene to issue these charges. We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life. We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances,'' Jackson County prosecuting attorney Jean Peters Baker said in a statement.
A friend of the mother suggested Ms Thomas' mental health may have played a role in the tragedy. They described the baby as a "very bubbly" child who was "smiling all the time".
Ms Thomas is currently being held at the Jackson County Detention Center.
