An Oklahoma woman has been found guilty of forcing her 11-year-old daughter to give birth to a child fathered by her husband, without medical care. Cherie Dawn Walker, 34, could face life in prison after a jury convicted her on one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect, according to court records.
Husband already sentenced
Walker's husband, 35-year-old Dustin Joel Walker, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and six counts of child neglect. In June, he was sentenced to life in prison plus 42 years, with the full term to be served before the life sentence began. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and banned from contact with the victims.
The court heard that the 11-year-old girl was forced to give birth at home without medical care, having not seen a doctor in over a year and kept out of a traditional school setting.
Investigation and DNA evidence
Authorities launched an investigation in 2025 after discovering that the couple's daughter had delivered a full-term infant inside their Muskogee County home without any prenatal or medical assistance. Muskogee County District Attorney's Office officials later confirmed that DNA testing established a 99% certainty that Dustin Walker was the infant's father.
Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told KJRH: "I was horror-stricken to find out it's an 11-year-old little girl who's given birth. And that she had no medical care, and she had no one to be with her."
"This child is traumatised," Ms Hutson also told KOTV. "She's been through a horrific ordeal. I mean, not only has somebody gotten her pregnant, but she gave birth at home without medical assistance, and this will be her life for the rest of her life."
Family claims ignorance
Prosecutors pushed back against statements from the family, who claimed they were unaware of the pregnancy, describing the child as "rather petite" and noting that she gave birth to a normal-sized baby.
"The child had been out of school for a period of time, and it is my understanding that children may have been homeschooled," Ms Hutson said, which removed the possibility of schools and medical providers becoming a key source of identifying and reporting any suspected abuse.
"I want people to know that there are resources available to reach out to law enforcement, the Department of Human Services, or the district attorney's office when you see something that may be abuse or neglect," she added.
Neighbour describes conditions
Neighbours reported that the home lacked basic utilities and living conditions. Cheryl Adkins revealed that six children in the home were exposed to unsanitary conditions and that the residence had "no running water for the last two or three years" and contained multiple pets. She added that she had previously contacted authorities regarding the children's welfare.
"They robbed her of her childhood," Ms Adkins said.
The child's maternal grandmother, Michelle Justus, refuted the claims and said the family "did not know this was happening". She has since been charged with child neglect in connection with the case. Court records show her trial is scheduled to begin on Thursday (July 23).
"They've made my daughter and my son-in-law a monster," she said. "They are not. They love those children. They love them."
The 11-year-old victim and her siblings were removed from the residence by state authorities following the initial arrests. If the jury's recommendations are accepted at the upcoming sentencing hearing, Cherie Walker will serve seven consecutive life sentences.
