(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.