OGDEN — A new trial date has been set for a North Ogden woman charged in connection with the death of 16-year-old Alexis Rasmussen.
Dea Millerberg, 40, will face a single count of abuse or desecration of a human body, a third-degree felony, when the case goes to trial April 3.
Millerberg's husband, Eric, is charged with child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and unlawful sexual activity with a minor and abuse or desecration of a human body, both third-degree felonies, in connection with Alexis' death.
Eric Millerberg is scheduled to stand trial in February.
"The resolution to her case depends on what happens with his," defense attorney Mike Bouwhuis said. "From the state's perspective, there's leverage there. They want to make sure that they get the testimony from her before they agree to do anything with her case. So they've got to get his trial out of the way."
The North Ogden teenager had last been seen the night of Sept. 10, when she was baby-sitting the couple's two young daughters. Her body was found Oct. 18 in Morgan County.
Prosecutors said the teenager died from a drug overdose. At a hearing on the evidence against Eric Millerberg, Dea Millerberg testified that Eric Millerberg injected Alexis with methamphetamine and heroin the night she died.
She said they later found the girl's lifeless body and decided to dispose of her it instead of calling police.
Bouwhuis said his client is doing well, has been drug-free since her arrest and has since regained custody of her two children. Dea Millerberg currently has no contact with her husband, whom she plans to divorce, Bouwhuis said.
"She's afraid of him, frankly," he said.
Eric Millerberg is in prison after being sentenced to zero to five years for a separate drug-related probation violation in October 2011. He is scheduled to appear in court in that case on Aug. 13.
On July 1, prosecutors said Eric Millerberg was stabbed or slashed 22 to 25 times by his cellmate, Simon Russell Scown, 29. Scown has since been charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony.
Contributing: Shara Park
Email: emorgan@deseretnews.com
Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam