Nurse says she was concerned by father’s statements

IOWA CITY - Retired Mercy Iowa City nurse Joyce Osborn said she was staffing a phone line for Mercy on Call, a free service that provides callers with medical advice, on Aug. 10, 2005, when she received a call from Brian Dykstra of Iowa City.

Dykstra, 35, said he was calling to ask for advice because his 21-month-old son, Isaac, had fallen off a low step at the family's home and hit his head on the floor. Osborn testified about the call in Johnson County District Court on Wednesday during Dykstra's second-degree murder trial in connection with the toddler's death four days later.

Osborn said Dykstra told her that the boy had a bruise on his cheek and small knot on his head. The Mercy on Call computer system said home care would be adequate for the situation, but Osborn said she decided to override the program's recommendation because she was concerned by statements Dykstra had made.

“He seemed concerned that his son would have a (visible) bruise because a social worker was coming in a few days,” Osborn said, adding that she “thought that the call may have needed a doctor's input.”

An on-call doctor was signaled to call Dykstra about the incident.

The next day, according to testimony, registered nurse Sue Kuntz conducted a follow-up call with the family. After talking with Lisa Dykstra, Kuntz testified, she did not feel there was a reason to be concerned about Isaac's well-being.

Former adoption specialist Hilary Condon, who helped the Dykstras adopt the boy from Russia, also testified that she found no reason to be concerned for his safety when she visited the family at their home Aug. 12.

Family friend Luke Haverhals also took the stand Wednesday, describing Brian Dykstra as a “caring man of few words” and Isaac as a “happy kid” who showed no obvious signs of serious injury when he saw him Aug. 12. Haverhals testified that he went to the hospital the next day as soon as he received word that “something serious” had happened to the toddler.

Haverhals said Brian Dykstra's demeanor, which was described as “undistressed” by a first responder Tuesday, was one of shock and grief.

“Sometimes (Brian) was staring off and sometimes he was sobbing,” he said.

Isaac was pronounced brain-dead the following day, Aug. 14. Authorities suspect that the boy died from head trauma inflicted while he was in the sole custody and care of his father.

Prosecutors will continue their case Thursday. They are expected to ask medical experts about how the boy may have received his injuries.