Eau Claire (WQOW) - A teenager is speaking out after a horrendous crime. Cearra Cook and her mother gave WQOW News 18 permission to share her story, about how she was sexually assaulted last year.
Her attacker, Stephen LeMere was sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday for first degree sexual assault of a child.
Now, Cearra wants other victims to know, it's okay to speak out. At his sentencing hearing on Friday, Cearra decided to share her story, and allowed us in the courtroom to hear it.
It's not often you meet 14-year-old's like Cearra Cook. She went through more in the past 14 months than most people do in an entire lifetime.
She was sexually assaulted last may by this man, Stephen LeMere. Stephen knew her brother and sister-in-law, and was at their house that night.
"This all happened when I was twelve years old, two weeks before my birthday. I thought my brother was going into the army, so I stayed and visited. That night I got text messages and didn't know what was going on until he grabbed me by the neck and said if you tell anybody, I'll kill you."
He was found guilty in March of putting Cearra in a choke-hold, holding a knife to her throat, and sexually assaulting her.
"It was really hard to enjoy my birthday this year, because the one year anniversary of the assault is so close."
Now, she's hoping other victims will benefit from her speaking out.
I've had nightmares and stuff, and I had to talk to a counselor," Cearra says. "It's been pretty hard, but I got through it."
And she wants others to know that they can get through it, too.
"I want them to stay strong and don't give up if they're in my position. Just keep your head high."
She also wants other victims to know that even telling someone about what happened is the right thing, even though it may be hard.
"I didn't want to tell anyone at first, but my brother called me up that same day, and that's when I had to tell them, but I knew it was the right thing to do."
She credits her family with helping her through everything.
"Everytime I had nightmares I would talk to them, and if I had to go see my counselor, my dad and my mom would bring me."
Stephen LeMere is also due in court next month on separate charges of battery by prisoners, for allegedly beating up a jailer
