OGDEN — Dea Millerberg took the stand this morning to describe Eric Millerberg twice injecting Alexis Rasmussen with methamphetamine on Sept. 11, 2011, and watching the young girl die.
The testimony came during the morning session of her husband Eric Millerberg’s preliminary hearing in 2nd District Court. The morning session ended at 11 a.m. It will reconvene at 1 p.m.
Eric Millerberg faces a charge of child abuse homicide and other counts related to Rasmussen’s death. The 16-year-old was baby sitting for the couple on Sept. 10 and failed to return home the next day. Her body was discovered Oct. 18 in a remote area of Morgan County.
Dea Millerberg, testifying under immunity Monday morning, said that on Sept. 11 her husband injected Alexis Rasmussen twice. After the second injection, Dea Millerberg said Alexis was “ecstatic” saying “she said it was the highest she had ever been.”
She said Alexis Rasmussen asked to have sex with both Dea and Eric Millerberg, but Eric couldn’t because he had taken heroin earlier in the day. Soon after that, Dea Millerberg said, Alexis’ demeanor changed and she became disoriented.
Dea Millerberg said “she was freaking out. She kept saying ‘leave me alone, leave me alone.’”
Then Rasmussen told the Millerbergs that she was cold and asked if she could take a bath.
Dea Millerberg said they helped Rasmussen into the bath, but then she was having trouble getting out, so Eric helped her out and put her on a bed next to the bathroom.
All the while, Dea Millerberg said, Rasmussen continued to say “leave me alone,” and so they left her on the bed for half an hour while they went outside for a cigarette. Dea said Eric told her “let’s let her chill out.”
When they returned she was not breathing. Dea Millerberg, who is a nurse, said she tried to resuscitate the girl but failed.
At that point, she testified, they discussed what to do and decided to dispose of the body since they would lose their children and Eric would go to prison if they didn’t.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Scott Hadley found evidence sufficient to advance the case to trial.
He set a May 15 status conference.
Defense attorney Randall Marshall described plea negotiation discussions as “not serious.
“They want Eric to plead to the child homicide charge and he’s not willing to do that,” Marshall said.
“My client would want me to say Lexi (Rasmussen’s) death is a tragedy. That doesn’t mean Eric is guilty of anything to with the death.”
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