North Georgia mother faces murder charge after infant son dies

An Adairsville mother was arrested Saturday and charged with two felonies after her infant son, who was about 4 months old, died last year, authorities said.

Destiney Diane Wheat, 22, faces charges of murder, second-degree child cruelty and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana in connection with the death of her baby, the Rome News-Tribune reported.

Adairville police, Bartow County firefighters and emergency management services responded to her home in the 200 block of North Main Street on Sept. 28, the newspaper reported. They found Wheat’s baby, James, unresponsive.

Police told the News-Tribune they detected a strong odor of marijuana from inside the home. The house was also allegedly in a highly unsanitary condition with dirty diapers littering the home along with evidence of insect infestation. The Division of Family and Children Services was notified.

The infant was rushed to the Cartersville Medical Center where he died a short time later, the newspaper reported. An investigation by police determined James died because of negligence on Wheat’s part.

The child was born prematurely and had other health-related illnesses, requiring him to have supplemental oxygen, the News-Tribune reported. Investigators said the child was not being administered the oxygen as prescribed by doctors. Wheat also checked him out of the hospital around a week before his death, despite the warning from hospital staff that doing so could result in his death, police said.

AJC.com has reached out to Adairsville police for more information on this investigation.