PIERRE, (KCCR) — A Pierre woman charged with child abuse among other charges has reached a plea deal in that case. According to court documents on file in Hughes County, 30 year-old Kelsey Howe entered a no contest plea to Domestic Abuse Simple Assault. Charges of Child Abuse, and a second Domestic Abuse Simple Assault charge were dismissed in the plea deal that included dismissal of a habitual offender information. Howe was indicted by a Hughes County grand jury in the case in September. Pierre police were called September 6th to the 700 block of East Wells Avenue to a report of possible child abuse. An investigation discovered visible injuries to a juvenile female from two separate assaults from the day before. A motions hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, but Howe was sentenced December 14th instead. Magistrate Judge Tara Adamski sentenced Howe to 120 days in the Hughes County Jail with 118 days suspended and credit for two days of time served. Howe was ordered to serve probation for a year with number of conditions including successful completion of the Common Sense Parenting Program; which was completed prior to sentencing.
