Mom Who Smoked Crack Before Premature Labor Drove Around With Baby's Corpse: Cops

A Pennsylvania woman who is believed to have given birth in her home now faces charges after cops allege she drove around with her premature baby's corpse.

Chesney Wheeler delivered the baby at home near Williamsport on April 12, according to a police complaint. She allegedly kept the baby's body in her car until it was discovered outside Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, Old Lycoming Township police said.

Read: Jury Has Convicted Woman of Cutting Unborn Fetus From the Womb of A Stranger

The 37-year-old allegedly told police she put the baby in a cardboard box and drove to an out-of-town hospital out of fear doctors would find out she smoked crack cocaine and used heroin the night before the girl was born, two and a half months premature.

Wheeler told police she "wasn't exactly thrilled at being pregnant" before she delivered the girl at home. Following the birth, she passed out, The Associated Press reported.

When she awoke, Wheeler put the baby in the back seat of her car in the cardboard box and started driving around, at which point the complaint says she knew the baby was dead because rigor mortis had set in.

Wheeler reportedly told hospital officials she miscarried and may have flushed the baby down the toilet, but a friend who accompanied Wheeler to the hospital led cops to the baby's corpse in the parking lot.

Read: Woman Sues Hospital, Claims Employee Flushed Her Miscarried Baby Down Toilet

Wheeler was arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, evidence tampering, obstruction of law enforcement and fleeing prosecution.

Her preliminary hearing is set for May 10.

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