Little girl, now 8, may have to relive the horror of a sexual assault...but why?



WASHINGTON COUNTY (WITI) -- An unusual legal process could mean a little girl reliving the horror of a sexual assault. Her attacker was convicted, but a legal appeal means more time in court -- and that has those who know the little girl concerned.

In 2011, a guilty plea was entered in a Washington County courtroom.

Corey Uhlenberg



44-year-old Corey Uhlenberg was convicted of a sexual assault charge.

His victim was just five years old.

"After it happened, she was having nightmares. She was not doing too good. After counseling, she was doing great," a man who knows the now eight-year-old girl said.

That man asked that we protect his identity.

He says the young girl didn't have to testify in court following the assault, but now, that may change.

"She's going to have to go through the whole thing again," the man who knows the girl told FOX6 News.

After Uhlenberg's conviction, an appeal was filed. It details the process West Bend police went through to interview the 44-year-old.

A detective told Uhlenberg he was not under arrest, but was being interviewed.

Court documents say Uhlenberg said: "I am not going to say another word and I want an attorney."

The detective did not stop the interview, and Uhlenberg made numerous statements incriminating himself.

Uhlenberg's attorney argued the interview should have stopped until an attorney was present, and says those statements should not have been used against Uhlenberg in court.

A judge agreed.

"I can't be mad at them, but I think they should have done their job correctly," the man who knows the victim said.

The prosecutor would not comment on who might take part in a scheduled hearing on Thursday, May 8th.

People close to the victim are preparing for another trial a week from Monday.

"The young child is going to go in front of Corey, in front of the judge, and Corey's attorney is going to be asking her questions -- what happened that night, and stuff like that," the man who knows the victim said.

A representative from the West Bend Police Department said he could not comment on this story because it's part of an active court case.

Uhlenberg's attorney did not want to comment at this time.