Michael Sorich, Amelia's father, wept as he told the judge how he thinks of his daughter day and night. Macall Petersen might have to spend a short time behind bars, but "when I want to see my daughter, I have to go to a cemetery," he said.

Amelia Sorich's brother, Jonathan, said the tragedy has ripped his heart out and the family home seems empty.

"I know I'm hanging by a thread, my family's hanging by a thread," he said.

Jeffrey Sorich, another of Amelia's brothers, said he lost the dream of someday watching his sister as a beautiful bride and, in turn, having her at his own wedding.

"Now it's just gone," he said.

Petersen, early in the hearing, read a letter of apology to the Sorich family in a monotone voice.

"I hope one day we can all look past this horrible loss and they can find it in their hearts to forgive me," she said, urging the judge to let her speak to high school students as a cautionary tale about the dangers of drug use.

"I want to be clean and sober and give back to the society I have taken so much from," Petersen said.

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E-mail: lindat@desnews.com