The day after an Abbotsford, B.C. man was sentenced to more than 55 years in prison for the murder of his five-year-old stepdaughter, the girl's mother is speaking out in an exclusive interview with CTV News.

Sarah Wilson was watching in a Washington State courtroom Friday when her husband, 29-year-old Peter James Wilson, was sentenced to 664 months in prison for slitting her daughter's throat.

It was the first time she had seen him since Clare's death in June.

"The one piece that I could not prepare for in any way was my emotional response at seeing him again. So that was, that was pretty hard," she said, crying.

"I haven't just lost a daughter, I've lost my husband too."

The couple was vacationing at a rental home in Hoodsport, Wa. when Clare was killed. Wilson says there was never any indication Peter would harm her child, and is frustrated when his bipolar disorder is raised as a possible reason for the crime.

"I don't think it had anything to do with that. He was on medication and he was faithful to take it," she said.

Peter, who has both U.S. and Canadian citizenship, initially pleaded not guilty in Clare's death. His lawyer Ron Sergi said Wilson subsequently changed his plea to spare the family the anguish of a trial.

Precious memories

Photographs, videos and memories of Clare have become even more precious since her death. Wilson shared a home movie with CTV of her two daughters blowing bubbles together in the summer sun. They were best friends, she said.

"The joy that [Clare] brought to our family, the light inside of her," she said. "She loved colouring. Pickles were her favourite food and that speaks volumes."

But another memory has caused her great anguish. Wilson says has relived the day she found her daughter dying on the kitchen floor several times. "Seeing her there and seeing him there, and hearing the scream," she said. "That's what was in my head."

Wilson says a counsellor eventually helped her to stop dwelling on the disturbing images, and that she made it through the darkest days of her life thanks to the love of family and friends, her church community and even complete strangers.

"It doesn't make it go away but it makes it easier to know you're not alone," she said. "I know if I just reach out, there's always someone there to pat me on the shoulder, squeeze my hand, say ‘You're doing okay.'"

Clare was very young, but Wilson says she had an incredible faith in God – and it is that faith and hope that gives her strength now.

"Walking through it with faith that good things will be deemed out of bad, beautiful things will come out of blackness, it's a better way," she said.

"We hurt and we miss her and we're sad, but it's not the end. That is the biggest thing that keeps me going."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Michele Brunoro