Older Sister of 5-Year-Old Girl Raped, Killed at Homeless Camp Breaks Down at Killer's Sentencing By Chris Spargo

Emotions ran high in a Kansas courtroom last week as the man who confessed to the rape and murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix was sentenced by a judge.

Mickel Cherry, 27, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences on charges of first-degree murder and rape of an individual under the age of 14 by a person over the age of 18.

Shawnee County District Court Judge Jessica Heinen did allow for the possibility of release but only after 50 years and with Cherry spending the rest of his life on parole once out of prison, according to a copy of the sentencing guideline obtained by PEOPLE.

Cherry entered a guilty plea back in December, a little over a year after Zoey was killed, according to a copy of the probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

The convicted murderer was living with Zoey, her father Ezekiel Felix and her sister Katie Cain at the homeless encampment when he raped and then smothered the young girl with a pillow, according to the affidavit.

Officers with the Topeka Police Department arrived at the scene on Oct. 2, 2023 to find Zoey suffering from life-threatening injuries and rushed the girl to the hospital, but it was too late.

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Cherry’s lawyers argued that he and Zoey were both products of a failed system, with her killer having spent most of his life shuttling through the foster care system in Texas.

That argument rang particularly hollow to Cain, who broke down in tears outside the courtroom while speaking about her little sister.

“In reality the only victim there truly was Zoey,” Cain said in an interview with NBC affiliate KSNT.

Cain also shot back at the defense team’s remarks after the sentencing that the possibility of release provides “hope” for their client.

“He’s had hope. We gave him a chance, we gave him the light that he needed to bring out the person he was and,” Cain said. “I mean, after a while everyone really does show their true colors.”

The young girl’s father also got emotional speaking outside court.

“To know that I won’t be able to see another birthday, another Christmas, or anything like that,” he said. “They took the privilege from me, being a father.”