A Cheyenne man who slapped a two-year-old girl while he was babysitting her this spring has been sentenced to five to seven years in prison, with the recommendation he be placed in boot camp.

Zachary Page was charged with a single count of child abuse-physical injury on May 19, after reportedly slapping the girl in the face and torso.  He pleaded guilty to the charge during a change of plea hearing on July 28.

"I regret what I did and I'm truly sorry for what I did," Page told Laramie County District Court Judge Peter Arnold during his sentencing this (Friday) morning.

Page, who was 19 when the incident took place, says he was living with the girl's family and would babysit the kids while their parents went to work. He said he had taken the kids to the park and got mad when the two-year-old peed her pants.

"On May 5, Zachary Page beat my granddaughter and in doing so took away her safe place," Wendy Treat told the court, adding that Page slapped the girl so hard that he left a hand print on her. "The nightmare and the terror still lives within her."

"She was potty trained," added Jessica Adels, the girl's mother. "Now, I can't take her to the park without her having an accident."

Page's father, Pastor John Page, apologized to the victim's family and the community saying, "We've always loved our children, but I don't agree with his decisions."

"I have great sympathy for Ms. Treat and Ms. Adels," Arnold told Page. "I also have sympathy for your parents. They did the best they could."

"I don't get the sense that you're sorry that you hurt this little girl so badly," added Arnold, who said he would give Page 98 days credit for time served.

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