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Cass County (IA) woman sentenced in child care center death

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June 28th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Judge in Cass County (IA) today (Wednesday), sentenced a Massena daycare provider to 50-years in prison, associated with the October 2019 death of a child in her care. Judge Amy Zacharias sentenced 39-year-old Alison Dorsey to 50 years in prison for Murder in the Second Degree. In May, a jury in Pottawattamie County found Dorsey was guilty in the death of 11-week-old Luka Hodges. She was also convicted of Child Endangerment resulting in death.

Prosecutors say Dorsey shook Luka, resulting in his death. Dorsey’s defense team had claimed the injuries happened before Luka was in Dorsey’s care, but medical experts debunked that in their testimony in the trial. The trial in Council Bluffs was the second for Dorsey. Her first trial in Atlantic ended with a hung jury in 2021.

Dorsey must serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years, with credit for time served. She must also pay $150,000 in restitution. Dorsey will be incarcerated at Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville, Iowa.