ANTHONY, N.M. (KRQE) – With her baby strapped to her chest and two toddlers in the back, State Police say they found a drunk mom who had crashed into a bush in southern New Mexico. She then tried to give police a bizarre excuse that they weren’t falling for.

In early August, State Police were called to a possible DWI crash along State Road 404 in Anthony.

“A witness caught her in the driver’s seat. The little infant, she had her right here, bro…and then the other kids, there’s no car seats,” an officer said.

The car was stuck in a bush. Inside, officers found 22-year-old Joeniqua Grant in the driver’s seat, who they say was drunk. Her 3-month-old was strapped to her chest, and a 3 and 5-year-old were in the back.

When an officer tried talking to Grant at the hospital, she didn’t want to say who she was. “So what is your name again ma’am?” the officer asked.

“Ashley Cobb,” she replied. The officer then told her to try again, but she replied with the same false name.

Police say the two older kids weren’t Grants, but that she’d been partying with their mom before the crash. An officer then gave the friend a call.

“And then what happened? Why did she take your kids?” the officer asked Grant’s friend on the phone. She replied, “I’m not sure.”

But Grant had a story for officers about what really happened.

“Her excuse was that the Uber driver took off on her, but she was found in the driver’s seat,” the officer told other officers on scene.

She told police the Uber driver took her money and ran off, but the officer wasn’t going to let her stick to that story.

“There is no Uber driver. You crashed right there,” the officer told Grant.

Grant has been charged with three counts of child abuse, DUI, careless driving, and concealing her identity. She is expected in court next month.