The first day of sentencing in the Larry Nassar case began on Tuesday with an emotional and powerful impact statement from Kyle Stephens.
She revealed she was sexually abused by the disgraced gymnastics doctor from the ages of six to 12.
Stephens told the court he would pleasure himself in front of her, insert his finger in her vagina and rub his erect penis on her body.
Throughout her entire statement she looked directly at Nassar, who covered his face and cried, and revealed that she when she was 12 she told her parents about the abuse.
Nassar convinced her mother and father that she was lying, said Stephens, who revealed herself for the first time on Tuesday after being known only as ‘Victim ZA’ in court papers.
Larry Nassar cover his face as listens to victim impact statements prior to being sentenced after being accused of molesting about 100 girls while he was a physician for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University
He rests his head in his hands as one woman after another told the court about their horrifying experience at his hands
Kyle Stephens (above), a victim of former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar, gives her victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing
Donna Markham (above) spoke about how her daughter Chelsy began abusing drugs in the wake of Nassar’s abuse and later committed suicide at the age of 23
‘Little girls don’t stay little forever,’ said Stephens.
‘They turn into strong women who return to destroy your world.’
Nassar hid his face behind his hands the entire time, never once looking at his victim.
‘After my parents confronted you, they brought you back to my house to speak with me. Sitting on my living room couch I listened to you tell me that no one should ever do that, and if they do, you should tell someone,’ said Stephens.
‘Well Larry, I’m here. Not to tell someone, but to tell everyone.’
‘I don’t like the word victim. I am a survivor but more so I am me. And those 10 years are part of my story. They have helped me define who I am today,’ said an emotional Alexis Moore (above)
Olivia Cowan (above) also broke down in tears while she spoke about Nassar, while also placing blame on Michigan State for allowing his behavior to for on for so long.
She then listed all the abuses she endured at the hands of Nassar, who entered a guilty plea to charges stemming from his assault of Stephens back in November.
Stephens (above as a child) told the court he would pleasure himself in front of her, insert his finger in her vagina and rub his erect penis on her body
‘You convinced my parents that I was a liar. That you didn’t strategically place lotion in the basement so you could beat your penis while I hid. But I still get sick at the smell of that lotion,’ said Stephens.
‘You convinced my parents that you didn’t pull my feet into your lap, unzip your pants, and rub your erect penis against my bare skin. But I still flinch when my feet are near someone’s lap.’
She then closed out by stating: ‘You convinced my parents that you didn’t stick your fingers up my adolescent vagina. But I knew, when it came time to use my first tampon that my hymen wasn’t intact.’
The courtroom was completely silent while Stephens held back her tears and continued to look directly at Nassar’s obscured face.
‘You used my body for six years for your own sexual gratification. That is unforgivable,’ said Stephens.
‘I’ve been coming for you a long time. I’ve told counselors your name in hope that they would report you, I have reported you to Child Protective Services twice, I gave a testament to get your medical license revoked.’
Stephens gets a hug from a supporter in the gallery following her powerful statement
Jessica Thomashow, another of Nassar’s victims, gives a gut-wrenching account of her abuse to the court
Jessica Thomashow, who is just 17, was one of the next to speak, revealing that before her sexual abuse at the hands of Nassar she too wanted to be a doctor.
She detailed how Nassar abused here following a hip injury, saying she was excited at first that she would get a chance to visit with the esteemed trainer for the national team.
‘You took advantage of my innocence and trust. You were my doctor and I trusted you, you took complete advantage of that. Why?’ asked Thomashsow, looking directly at her abuser.
‘I used to ask myself that question all the time, especially while I was laying in bed crying myself to sleep. What you did to me was so twisted.’
She continued: ‘You manipulated me and my entire family. How dare you. You had no right to do that, and because of your decision to molest me you have caused so much pain in my life, and for the rest of my life I am going to have to heal from what you did.’
After she spoke, Judge Rosemarie Aqualina told her, and every other victim who spoke on Tuesday, that what happened was not their fault.
‘He’s going to break while you’re healing. And he’ll remain broken, more broken than he was when he committed these crimes against all of you cause only a broken person can do such a vile thing,’ said Judge Aqualina.
‘And it is so brave of you all to come here and show victims that you are not victims any longer.’
Later in the day, Judge Aqualina addressed victim Annette Hill after she spoke about how even as an adult with children of her own she considered taking her own life because of what happened to her years ago with Nassar.
‘I think about suicide to turn off the thoughts,’ said Hill, bursting into tears.
‘With suicide, he wins,’ she told Hill.
‘He will not win, please stay with us.’
That will not be the case for Donna Markham, who brought most in the courtroom to tears revealing how her daughter Chelsy informed her at the age of 12 that Nassar had put his ungloved fingers into her vagina.
Chelsy later began to abuse drugs, which her mother believes was a direct consequence the abuse she suffered while ebing treated by Nassat.
Then, in 2009, she took her own life. She was just 23.
‘Every day I miss her. Every day. And it all started with him. It all started with him, and it just became worse as the years went by until she just couldn’t deal with it anymore,’ said Markham while weeping in court.
‘I don’t like the word victim. I am a survivor but more so I am me. And those 10 years are part of my story. They have helped me define who I am today,’ said an emotional Alexis Moore as she delivered her victim impact statement.
‘I am working on forgiving you, Mr. Nassar. Some day I will be able to. But I will never forget what you have done.’
She then brought Nassar to tears when she said she believed he regretted his actions after hearing him speak back in November.
‘It was the same voice you had when you hugged me at your brother’s funeral. Saying that you did nothing for me would be a lie,’ said Moore.
Olivia Cowan also broke down in tears while she spoke about Nassar, while also placing blame on Michigan State for allowing his behavior to for on for so long.
Nassar, pictured being led into court, has pleaded guilty in Ingham County, Michigan, to sexually assaulting seven girls, but the judge is allowing all his accusers to speak
He is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Nassar is seen with his eyes closed, listening to the statements on Tuesday
Nassar is pictured with Gold-medal winning gymnast McKayla Maroney. She received a $1.25million settlement after revealing she was abused by the Team USA doctor