CLEARWATER, Fla. – "As I cried with my hands over my face, he took the gun, aimed and shot me, point blank in the face.”
These are words from the testimony Naomi Rosado shared in front of her attacker Tuesday morning in Pinellas County court.
Charles Tenpenny, 19, pleaded guilty to shooting Rosado in the face in July. She was five months pregnant at the time. He will face 25 years in prison for the crime.
"Only a miracle of God saved us. That was no act of mercy on your part,” Rosado said to Tenpenny.
Rosado and her family said they believe the sentence is too light, but accepted the plea deal because it prevented Rosado from having to endure a trial that would force her to relive severe emotional trauma.
“Although we’re disappointed that someone can shoot someone right in the face and only get 25 years in prison, we are going to move forward and we know that God has another plan for Naomi,” said court advocate Julie Weintraub. “Maybe she will go to Tallahassee or to the White House if need be to make sure that laws are changed, and that when people do this and try to murder someone, they face life in prison.”
After the sentencing, Rosado said facing her attacker gave her strength.
“I thought I was going to be more scared, but it was more empowering to see him like that because he's always been the one that's controlling me, and this time, I had the power, I got to say what I needed to say,” she said. "I'm just happy that it's over with that I can move on and take care of my baby.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser for Rosado has also been started.
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