A 10-year-old girl testified testified in court Tuesday that she will never be the same after a sexual predator approached her in April.

"This is going to affect me for the rest of my life," Olivia Huckabay said before Natrona County District Court Judge Daniel Forgey handed down a four- to six-year prison sentence to Brenden Day.

"Sometimes if I feel like he is going to get out of prison and escape or kidnap me," Olivia said, reading a prepared witness impact statement. "I hope he goes to prison for five to eight years."

Forgey sentenced 20-year-old Day on one count of sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree when the perpetrator is at least 17 and the victim is at least four years younger.

Day apologized to the court before Forgey handed down the sentence that will include substance and sexual abuse treatment. "I'm terribly sorry for the trouble I've caused for the court, the victim, and anyone (connected) to the case," Day said.

Besides the Huckabay family, this case affected neighbors, Casper City Council, the Casper Police Department and the Natrona County School District.

The case began April 18 when Olivia was walking home from Park Elementary, 140 W. Ninth St.

Day approached her while he was masturbating and chased her. Olivia ran home and called her mother, Amanda Huckabay, who then called police. Olivia's description lead to Day’s arrest.

In August, Day pleaded guilty to the charge of third degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Soon after the April 18 incident, Amanda Huckabay told Olivia's teachers who said they were not aware someone in the neighborhood was doing this. Park Elementary Principal Dawn DeWald told Huckabay a police officer had informed her earlier about someone exposing himself near the school, but she didn't notify parents.

On April 25, Amanda Huckabay told school district trustees about the crime, none of whom knew about it.

The district later denied the allegation that Casper police notified DeWald.

In May, the district announced DeWald would step down as principal in June, but did not say why.

On April 28, parents in the school's neighborhood told city council they notified police about Day in the summer of 2015. The parents’ concerns were not only about Dewald, but also about communications within the school district and with law enforcement.

After the sentencing Tuesday, Day's aunt Tami Day said he was a straight-A student, an accomplished musician, and an electronics genius. But he was never the same after three men beat him using a baseball bat in the summer of 2015, she said. "It's been very heartbreaking."

Police never investigated the beating, and Amanda Huckabay exaggerated the incident for political purposes, Tami Day added. Huckabay was elected to city council on Nov. 3.

Huckabay said she was pleased with the sentence, and hopes Day will receive treatment. "That being said, I do think that him actually receiving a prison sentence as a first-time sex offender is a good message and a positive step."

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This is the transcript of Olivia Huckabay's victim witness statement in Natrona County District Court on Tuesday about her experience after Brenden Day exposed himself to her in April:

"Good afternoon Judge Forgey. This is going to affect me for the rest of my life.

"Sometimes if I feel like he is going to get out of prison and escape or kidnap me. I hope he goes to prison for five to eight years.

"This changed my whole life. It put me in shock. I was very scared at that moment. I've been having really bad thoughts and bad dreams about Brenden. And this changes how I treat others and how I act around others, and my friends have been really concerned.

"Whenever I walk home, I have flashbacks and daydreams about Brenden. I've been having therapy to help me through this, and concerns if he was ever going to harm me again.

"Sometimes I don't want to live anymore because all of the stress from what happened with Brenden. I wish this never had happened. I feel angry, sad and alone.

"And children at school think they know what happened, but I get more angry at them because they weren't here, and I was in this situation.

"Sometimes I just want to hide away in my bed and never show my face again. Sometimes I feel self-conscious and my moods change a lot, more than they used to. I have also lost some of my confidence because of Brenden.

"Kids at school also bully me. The kids say, 'oh, you're so famous, I wish I could have been in that situation so I could have got the fame.' 'It's all your fault that we lost our principal.'

"I just say 'okay,' and walk away.

"Sometimes when I see other guys that look like Brenden, I go into shock and suddenly walk away.

"I hope this never happens to anyone again. Until this day I still have a fear of Brenden Day."

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