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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Have you ever wondered what it’s like to see a therapist, or what reasons might prompt someone to seek therapy? Mental health continues to generate conversation in Cass County. There are many different mental health treatments and strategies to improve mental wellbeing, and the process of seeking treatment can be intimidating. People often have questions.
Atlantic Public Library and Healthy Cass County are co-hosting a virtual panel event called Therapy FAQ on Tuesday, November 9 from 7:00-8:00 pm. The purpose of the panel is to answer common questions about seeing a therapist. Mental health was identified as the top health need in the 2021 Cass County Community Health Needs Assessment, and while there are many different mental health treatments, this event will focus on therapy.
Anyone can register to attend the event virtually at bit.ly/TherapyFAQ. The Atlantic Public Library will also be open to watch the virtual presentation on a screen in the meeting room. Therapy FAQ is being funded by Region 6 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine, whose mission is to provide U.S. researchers, health professionals, public health workforce, educators, and the public with equal access to biomedical and health information resources and data.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to Michelle Andersen, director at the Atlantic Public Library, at 712-243-5466 or mandersen@atlantic.lib.ia.us. For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.
Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across Cass County.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The case of Iowa vs. Alison Dorsey wrapped-up scheduled testimony just before 2-p.m. Tuesday, and will resume at 9-a.m. Wednesday. Judge Amy Zacharias said jurors had been dismissed for the day and the court (including the Prosecution and Defense) needed to conduct some “Housekeeping” (Paper and procedural work) before moving on. Dorsey has been charged with 1st Degree Murder and Child Endangerment for allegedly causing the death of an infant in her care – Luka Hodges – in early October 2019.
After the mid-day lunch break, Prosecutor Monty Platz recalled Assistant State Medical Examiner Kelly Kruse to the stand. Dr. Kruse assisted with the autopsy of the deceased infant Luka Hodges. Dr. Kruse had stated earlier that Luka’s manner of death was undetermined. Another Forensic Pathologist testified he did not find any evidence of a “Purposeful act” in the manner of death. Dr. Kruse said she couldn’t date sub-dermal hematoma’s such as were found in Luka’s case which is why sent sent the body to a neuropathologist. She said bruises could occur in the case where there is an impact point or blunt trauma.
Dr. Marco Hefti, a Neuropathologist with the University of Iowa, was called by the State as a rebuttal witness. He works with the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office, and was of the opinion the injuries Luka sustained were consistent with severe head trauma, but he could not suggest a difference between and accident and abuse. Another rebuttal Dr. Resimye Oral, a Child Abuse Pediatrics Specialist with the Child Advocacy and Protection Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, New Hampshire, spoke via Zoom, Tuesday morning. She testified it was her opinion after reviewing the records, that there was no way Luka could have suffered the internal head injuries he did without having been the subject of Shaken Baby Syndrome. She acknowledged there were not skull fractures, but there appeared to be some scapular contusions.
Dorsey herself took to the stand on Tuesday morning. She has cared for the Hodges’ children since 2015. She first met Luka on Oct. 7, 2019, the day his dad Nick dropped him off in a car child safety seat. During her testimony she stated that she was not aware of any prior injuries to Luka, and not aware of any medical issues he may have had, other than he was heavy breathing a couple of hours after being dropped off. She did not note any discoloration in the child’s face. She stated that she called Nick to help her with his breathing issues, because Luka’s brother Karver had similar issues and used a nebulizer. She called 9-1-1 after Nick Hodges arrived and the child suddenly stopped breathing.
Dorsey said after Luka left she had no idea what his condition was until she got a call from Luka’s mother when Luka got a heartbeat back and he was going to be life-flighted to Children’s hospital. She said she never heard from Luka’s parents again after that. She also testified she did not know there is a limit on the number of children an unlicensed child care center is allowed to have (3 babies), and contradicted the number of kids in former Cass County Deputy Bill Ayers said were in the home. Dorsey acknowledged there were only a few minutes she wasn’t watching the children, and that was during the time she was washing baby bottles.
She said also, she has no idea how Luka received injuries to his head and the sub dermal hematomas.
The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests.
On Saturday, October 30th Deputies arrested 22-year-old Gurardo Garcia Gutierrez of Hokins, MO on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was arrested in Maryville, MO and held on no bond for Mills County.
On Sunday, October 31st Deputies made two arrests. 20-year-old Kortnee James Cordell Nelson of Omaha, NE was arrested for Driving While Barred. Nelson was arrested on I-29 at 9:09 p.m. and held at the Mills County Jail on $2,000 bond.
Also Sunday 22-year-old Jonathon Jo Arrick of Council Bluffs was arrested on Warrants for 2 counts of Violation of Probation. He was arrested at Pottawattamie County Corrections and held on $10,000 bond.
On Monday, November 1st 37-year-old Gwen Marie Vanderhoof of Clarinda was arrested on Warrants for 2 counts of Failure to Appear and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Vanderhoof was arrested at the intersection of 5th Street and Marion Avenue at 10:44 p.m. and held on $16,000 bond.
Also Monday 22-year-old Faustino NMN Lopez-Vidales of Omaha, NE was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance on Bunge Avenue at 6:07 p.m. Lopez-Vidales was booked in to the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.
Mills County Sheriff’s Officials also report one person was injured in a single vehicle accident on Saturday, October 30th. A 2019 Jeep driven by 66-year-old Joni Sell of Hastings was traveling eastbound on Highway 34 at approximately Hillman Road and is believed to have experienced some kind of medical episode and passed out. The Jeep left the road into the right side ditch and struck a tree. Sell was awake when Deputies arrived and appeared to not be seriously injured. Sell was taken to Jenny Edmunson Hospital in Council Bluffs by Glenwood Rescue.
(UPDATE 12-P.M.) The State of Iowa vs. Alison Dorsey case moved significantly closer to being handed to the jury on Tuesday morning as the defense rested their case. Prosecutors are now calling rebuttal witnesses, including at least one this afternoon.
Dorsey herself was called to the stand on Tuesday morning. She has cared for the Hodges’ children since 2015. She first met Luka on Oct. 7, 2019, the day his dad Nick dropped him off in a car child safety seat. During her testimony she stated that she was not aware of any injuries to Luka, and not aware of any medical issues he may have had, other than he was heavy breathing a couple of hours after being dropped off. She did not note any discoloration in the child’s face. She stated that she called Nick to help her with his breathing issues, because Luka’s brother Karver had similar issues and used a nebulizer. She called 9-1-1 after Nick Hodges arrived and the child suddenly stopped breathing.
Dorsey testified she did not know there is a limit on the number of children an unlicensed child care center is allowed to have (3 babies), and contradicted the number of kids in former Cass County Deputy Bill Ayers said were in the home. Dorsey acknowledged there were only a few minutes she wasn’t watching the children, and that was during the time she was washing baby bottles. Dorsey testified she has no idea how Luka received injuries to his head and the sub dermal hematoma’s.
The State, through prosecutor Monty Platz, called rebuttal witnesses, including Dr. Resimye Oral, a Child Abuse Pediatrics Specialist with the Child Advocacy and Protection Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, New Hampshire, who spoke via Zoom. She testified it was her opinion after reviewing the records, that there was no way Luka could have suffered the internal head injuries he did without having been the subject of Shaken Baby Syndrome. She acknowledged there were not skull fractures, but there appeared to be some scapular contusions.
The final rebuttal witness of the morning was Dr. Marco Hefti, a Neuropathologist with the University of Iowa, who was of the opinion the injuries were consistent with severe head trauma. The case resumes at 1-p.m.
Creston Police report the arrest early Tuesday of Jeffery Allan Liesener of Creston on a charge of Child Endangerment. Liesener was arrested at his home in Creston at 12:17 a.m. and taken to the Union County Jail and held on $2,000 cash or surety bond.
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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 52-year-old James Bruce Castillo of Stanton at 4:39 p.m. on Monday for Domestic Abuse Assault causing Bodily Injury. He was arrested at the intersection of Highway 34 and 8th Street in Red Oak. Castillo was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.
(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Monday, said there were five arrests over the past week. Three of those arrested were cited and released. They include:
The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 34-year-old Geoffrey Laverne McBurney, of Norwalk, was arrested Oct. 28th at the Dallas County Jail, on an Adair County warrant for Driving While Barred. He was Released on his Own Recognizance. And, 36-year-old Tresa Sue Slayton, of Casey (formerly of Atlantic), was arrested on Oct. 30th, on a Bench Warrant out of Pottawattamie County, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender.
She was released the same day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Trial in the case of an Anita woman charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment, ended for the day Monday, at 4-p.m., and will continue with additional witness testimony for the Defense resuming at 8-a.m. on Tuesday. During Monday’s proceedings, 18 people appeared before the jury as character witnesses, and to testify they would have no problem sending their kids to Alison Dorsey, or continuing to send their kids to her.
They spoke of her open door policy, how organized she was, and how she would have no hesitation to call 9-1-1 if she thought a child in her care needed help beyond what she could offer at her unlicensed daycare. Three EMT’s testified when they arrived at the home of Susan Marnin, in Massena, law enforcement and other emergency personnel were on the scene offering immediate assistance to a baby who was not breathing and had no pulse. Alison Dorsey was using Marnin’s home for a daycare center. Marnin said Dorsey was always soft spoken, calm and would sing and dance with the kids. She said “Ali” was like a sister to her. She had four kids go through her daycare.
Adams County Attorney Andrew Knuth said he’s known Ali’s father for 30-years, and has known her since she was a kid. He described her as “easy going.” Defense Attorney Deshawne Lee Birdsell asked Knuth more about Ali’s character.
Stacey Boudreau traveled all the way from Whitewater, Wisconsin to offer her support for Dorsey. She said she grew up with Ali and considers her a sister. Dorsey also cared for Boudreau’s children every summer since 2008 while Boudreau (Boo’d-row) coaches as a summer camp.
Several of the Defense’s witnesses choked-up when they spoke of how loving and caring Dorsey is. Barry Bower is the CAM North Elementary Principal and Head Football Coach. He said he has four children, with the youngest going to Ali’s Daycare.
Earlier in the day, Monday, the Defense called Doctor Christopher Van-Ee (Van EEE), who has a Ph.D in Biomechanics. He provided examples of how injuries to the skull and other body parts could occur, through research conducted on child and adult crash test dummies. He made clear however, that he was not a pediatric physician, therefore he could not speak to how Luka Hodges’ injuries were received or if there was proof they occurred the day of the 9-1-1 call on Oct. 7, 2019, in Massena.
Dr. Van-Ee, who studies and has written papers on Impact Biomechanics, Accident Reconstruction, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Injury Causation, said reports on the effects of shaking a baby are often inconclusive according to science, but leaves open the possibility injury could occur. He said he didn’t know if Luka had been shaken on the day of the 9-1-1 call, or if an injury occurred in the days before that perhaps wasn’t detected. The child was dropped-off at home daycare in Massena, being managed by Alison Dorsey, of Anita, at the time.
The Defense then called Cynthia Gossman, whose children have been cared for by Dorsey in the past. She testified Luka was “Staring-off to the left” as she held him and didn’t not appear to want to eat. She questioned whether the child has some sort of a learning disability. Gossman was holding the baby while he was being dressed at the daycare center. The third witness of the morning, was Michelle Williams, an EMT who arrived on the scene minutes after the 9-1-1 call came in. She testified former Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Ayers was the first to arrive and began performing CPR after trying to determine whether or not the child was choking. Ayers’ bodycam video showed the rescue attempts underway before Luka was transported by ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital.
Ayers testified last week, along with two other, forensic pathologists.
The Audubon County Emergency Management Agency reports a portion of 190th Street will be closed for the next couple of weeks for a bridge replacement project.
The closure is in the 1700 block of 190th Street between Heron Avenue and Highway 71 between Leroy Township sections 17 and 20. The closure went into effect over the weekend (October 30th) and will continue for approximately two weeks.
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