Burns covered Anissa Vann’s face and hands as she walked to the front of the Ramsey County District Courthouse on Monday afternoon.
With members of her family and friends looking on, the 28-year-old St. Paul woman told the court what life has been like since late May, when she was set on fire by her then romantic rival, Laurel Lee Sykes.
She spent 36 days in the hospital receiving treatment for burns that now cover 70 percent of her body, Vann said, including her back, chest, arms, leg, hands and face.
She has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Vann is reluctant to go out because of the way she now looks. She feels “detached from the world.”
“It’s been hell,” Vann said after the hearing. “Sometimes I feel like I can move forward, and other days I feel like I can’t keep up, like I don’t want to leave the house.”
Sykes, 32, of Maplewood, listened as Vann read her victim impact statement in the courtroom. Then she got a chance to address the court before Judge Nicole Starr sentenced her for the crime.
Sykes was charged in June with first-degree assault resulting in great bodily harm. She pleaded guilty in October.
“I want (Vann) to know this is not her fault, and I am so sorry,” Sykes said between sobs. “There is nothing I can do to take this back or change this … but I apologize.”
Sykes’ attorney also spoke.
“She has been extremely remorseful,” the attorney said. “She can’t explain why this happened, but she does know she was using at the time.”
The attorney added that Sykes did not believe her chemical use excused what happened.
Starr sentenced Sykes to just over six years in prison at the hearing. She will be given credit for the 183 days she’s already served in jail.
According to court documents filed in the case, a witness said Sykes was upset with Vann because the two were seeing the same man at the time of the attack May 30.
They were arguing at an apartment in the 700 block of Conway Street in St. Paul when Sykes left and returned with a gasoline can.
A witness recalled watching Sykes pour the gas into a container, light it on fire, and throw it at Vann.
Witnesses helped Vann douse the flames in the bathroom as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
Vann said Monday that she was not moved by Skyes’ tearful apology in court
“I want her to know she didn’t win and that there is nothing I could have ever done to deserve this,” Vann said. “I’m going to heal and be happy and move forward and live my life.”