She was a victim, not an offender, according to her defense attorney.

All charges against former social worker Codette M. Eldridge,32, who had been accused of sexually assaulting two boys, were dismissed at a hearing Tuesday in Columbia County Circuit Court.

Had the case gone to trial, Christopher T. Van Wagner of Madison, her attorney, said he would have proven that Eldridge "wasthe victim of an outrageous sexual assault at the hands of the alleged co-defendant."

Eldridge, formerly of Portage and now living in Bismarck, N.D.,faced a potential maximum prison sentence of 200 1/2 years on nine felony charges; she is now free after all nine were dismissed Tuesday morning on a motion by special prosecutor Richard Dufour.

Authorities said the co-defendant in December 2008 and January2009 ordered a 13-year-old boy to have sex with Eldridge and to watch as the man had sex with Eldridge. The boy also watched his12-year-old brother and Eldridge have sex, according to a criminal complaint.

The 12-year-old boy also had sex with Eldridge and was forced to watch his father and Eldridge having sex, the complaint stated.

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