Woman who breast fed her baby while drunk pleads guilty to child neglect

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - A mother here who police say was "extremely intoxicated" while breast-feeding her 6-week-old baby pleaded guilty to child neglect Tuesday.

Officers responded to an unrelated call at a Grand Forks residence in the early morning of Feb. 13 and saw 26-year-old Stacey Anvarinia slurring her speech and breast-feeding, prosecutor Meredith Larson told the judge.

Citing a police report, Larson said officers were concerned about the infant's welfare, so they called Altru Hospital in Grand Forks and were told that breast-feeding while intoxicated was not good for the child.

"Ms. Anvarinia was notified of that, and she continued to make attempts to breast-feed," Larson said. Anvarinia, who no longer is in custody, is slated to be sentenced on the Class C felony charge Aug. 7. Judge Sonja Clapp of the state District Court said Anvarinia will not have to register as an offender against children.