Cricket Wireless Damaged phone , Internet

My name is Deborah and I purchased a ZTE Engage phone from Cricket Wireless on December 27, 2012.. On January 7, 2013 I took the phone back to the store because it would not hold a charge. The female representative that assisted me took the back of the phone off to check the battery, then she went into to the back of the store to get another battery and the phone came on, she then continue to look at the phone and said it was not the battery but the prongs inside of the handset port were bent that's why the phone would not hold a charge. This was very surprising to be especially since the phone was only 10 days old.  I asked her about a replacement phone since the phone was under a manufacture warranty, that's when the store manager Brandon came over to look at the phone and said it was not a manufacture issue and it look like some one had stuck something in the phone to bend the prongs. At that point was very upset by his comment, especially since I'm a 52 year old woman and the owner of the phone as well as making monthly payment on the phone. I ended up leaving the store without a phone after being told there was nothing they could do to help me.

After leaving the store I contacted the Cricket hone office as well as Cricket Corporate office. I was finally connected with Wayne with the corporate location and was told the only thing that could be done is for me to file an insurance claim after the 30 day of purchase date and pay a fee of $129 for the insurance claim. I told Wayne that I could not afford that and why am I being held responsibility for the damaged phone.

I explained to Wayne that the day I purchased the phone Cricket used their equipment to charge the phone to activate it, who's to say there equipment didn't damage the phone and Wayne said it's there word against mine, but I'm the one taking all the responsibility. 

I am very frustrated by this situation and have never in all my years dealt with such poor customer service.  I have been a cell phone owner for over 10 years and very responsible especially with an item that's being financing.