Dog accompanies victim on witness stand for first time in Minnesota
STEARNS COUNTY, Minn. -- For the first time in Minnesota, officials allowed a dog to accompany a young victim to the witness stand during testimony.
The Stearns County Attorney's Office's facility dog, Nova, kept the victim company while they testified in a criminal sexual conduct trial.
Helping Paws in Hopkins trained Nova for two-and-a-half years before placing her with the Stearns County Attorney's Office in 2019.
Nova and her handler, Keli Trautman have assisted many victims and witnesses in preparation for trial, but this was the first time a facility dog was allowed to appear with the victim during testimony.
Judge Laura Moehrle ruled that testifying in court can be traumatic for children and affect their ability to testify accurately, and that facility dogs have been found to reduce stress and trauma, aiding in the ability of the person to offer truthful testimony.
Fifteen other states have already codified the use of facility dogs in court.
As a result of the trial, Jairo Missael Fernandez Sorto, 38, was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday for three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under the age of 16.