A Minot woman charged with three counts of child neglect has been granted a deferred imposition of sentence after entering a change of plea to guilty.

Mariah Peltier, 31, Minot, entered her change of plea on Oct. 2 to the three counts of child neglect, a Class C felony, and to a count of driving under the influence with a minor-refusal-first offense, a Class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, Peltier was charged in connection to an incident on July 30 when Minot Police responded to a report from a southeast Minot business of a woman and her three juvenile children shoplifting. Investigators obtained video footage from the business showing Peltier and the juveniles taking items from the store without paying for the merchandise. The juveniles were ages 11, 10 and 1. Based on court records, no shoplifting charges against Peltier have been filed.

Officers responded to Peltier’s residence several hours later for a report of a deceased dog, and observed a 7-month-old Pyrenees-cross puppy that had been left outside in 90 degree heat with no food, water or shelter. Peltier was charged with animal neglect, but the charge was dismissed after she entered her change of plea to the other charges.

Officers returned to Peltier’s residence later that evening for a home/medical alarm, finding Peltier having a panic attack after hearing about the dog’s passing.

Peltier invited the officers into the residence, who observed the immediate smell of urine and noted the home was covered in filth without a working toilet or air conditioning. The officers found minimal food in the home. Social services was dispatched to the residence, and Peltier was taken into custody after the children’s father arrived at the home.

The refusal charge stemmed from an incident the night of Aug. 28 when a Ward County deputy found a Chevy Cruze crashed in a ditch near Ward County Road 9 and Ward County Road 20. According to court documents, the deputy found Peltier and her three children exiting the vehicle. Peltier was detained after the deputy performed a battery of field sobriety tests, including a breath test which indicated a BAC of .216. Peltier refused to consent to a chemical test and was transported to the Ward County Jail.

Peltier was initially charged in this incident with additional counts of disobedience of a judicial order and DUI with a minor-intoxicating liquor-first offense, as she was ordered to have no contact with the children. Both counts were dismissed in accordance with a plea agreement.

Judge Todd Cresap ordered Peltier to serve a deferred sentence of five days in the Ward County Jail for the child neglect charges and to complete two years of supervised probation. Peltier was ordered to pay $525 in court fines and fees, and to not own, possess, or care for a companion animal during her probation.

Cresap ordered Peltier to undergo a parental capacity evaluation, cooperate with the Ward County Human Service Zone and follow all recommendations. Peltier was also ordered to only have contact with her children as allowed by juvenile court.

Cresap sentenced Peltier to serve 38 days of 360 day sentence for the DUI test refusal, with credit for 38 days already served. Peltier was ordered to complete two years of supervised probation, a chemical dependency evaluation and a victim impact panel. She was also assessed $825 in court fines and fees.