Nassar Sentencing: 'We Were Just Children,' Victim Tells Court

LANSING, MI – More young women and former gymnasts will testify Wednesday how Dr. Larry Nassar took advantage of their innocence and molested them during medical examinations. It's the second day of what is expected to be four days of testimony before he is sentenced by an Ingham County judge.

After tearful testimony by one victim early Wednesday, Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told her that she and all the victims will be heard.

"I could give each of you a gold medal, I would,' Aquilina said.

Another victim recounted how she was a young woman when she was assaulted by Nassar. She also alleged that Michigan State officials and other ignored her claims. "I was ignored and my voice was silenced." She called him predator and said while he abused many girls, he created an army of survivors who would not be silenced any longer.

Some victims testified anonymously before the court. Many, though, chose to go public with their stories to show that they are stronger than Nassar, they said. One such victim was Gwen Anderson. "We were just children," she said.

Anderson, now a middle school teacher has a responsibility to the 12-, 13- and 14-year-old children in her classroom.

"I look at them every single day and think I am their safe place," Anderson said. Nassar, she said, was who "I believed was my safe place."

Nassar last fall pleaded guilty to molesting females with his hands at his Michigan State University office, his home and a Lansing-area gymnastics club, often while their parents were in the room. He also worked for Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians.

Prosecutors are seeking at least 40 years in prison for Nassar, who has already been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes.

Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman have said they, too, were victims. Raisman tweeted Monday that she would not attend the sentencing "because it is too traumatic for me. My impact letter will be read in court in front of Nassar. I support the brave survivors. We are all in this together."

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On Tuesday, the victims, many of whom are now young women, testified how Nassar violated them while under his care. As the women testified, Nasser often bowed his head or looked away.

"He touched the most innocent places on my body," said 17-year-old Jessica Thomashaw, recounting how she was sexually assaulted at ages 9 and 12. "I couldn't be just a normal girl anymore, and I forever lost a big piece of my childhood due to his abuse."

Victim Kyle Stephens during the hearing told, "I testified to let the world know that you are a repulsive liar and those 'treatments' were pathetically veiled sexual abuse."

The 125 women and girls who spoke with police at Michigan State University, where Nassar was formerly employed were all invited to give victim impact statements and about 88 have said they will speak in open court. The sentencing hearing began Tuesday morning at Ingham County Circuit Court in Lansing, Michigan, where Nassar, 54, pleaded guilty to abusing seven females at MSU, his home and a Lansing area gymnastics club.

Among those expected to testify is 2000 Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, the first Olympian to go public against Nassar. She filed a lawsuit against Nassar in California last September under the name of "Jane Doe," but gave up her anonymity when she and two other former elite U.S. gymnasts appeared on the CBS news magazine "60 Minutes" last February.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.