(Cass Co.) A plea agreement has been reached in the State of Iowa’s case against Alison Elaine Dorsey, a former daycare provider from Massena. Sentencing is scheduled for February 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., canceling a jury trial scheduled to begin on February 24.
According to court documents, Dorsey has pleaded guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter. Attorney Trevor Hook tells KSOM/KS95 News that Dorsey is pleading guilty to one charge: Involuntary Manslaughter. Count Two: Child Endangerment Causing Death, will be dismissed at her sentencing next Thursday (Feb. 26th).
Hook says the plea agreement says “She’ll plead guilty to Count One – a lesser included offense of Involuntary Manslaughter – 5 years (maximum prison term), with credit for all the time she did in prison (about 20 months).” Count Two would be dismissed.
In the plea agreement, Dorsey admits that on or about October 7, 2019, “I was caring for (the infant) and I picked him up, he was fussy and wouldn’t eat, I rocked him in my arms harder than I should have, I regret that, I unintentionally caused (the infant’s) death.” The charge of Child Endangerment will be dismissed at sentencing.
Dorsey’s initial trial in Cass County ended in a hung jury, leading to a second trial in Pottawattamie County. Dorsey was convicted by a jury in Pottawattamie County District Court in June 2023 in connection with the death of a child under her care in Massena. Her attorneys argued the venue change was inappropriate, that she was denied the opportunity to present additional character witnesses, and that the court erred in denying her motion for a new trial. The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed that evidence was sufficient to support Dorsey’s conviction for second-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death, but found the case had been improperly moved from Cass County to Pottawattamie County. Because of that venue error, the court ordered a new trial.
Again, the trial scheduled for next week will no longer take place following the plea agreement.
