An Oklahoma mother, Cherie Walker, 34, has been convicted on six counts of child neglect and one count of enabling child sexual abuse. The conviction stems from her failure to protect her 11-year-old daughter from repeated sexual abuse by her husband, Dustin Walker, which resulted in the child becoming pregnant and giving birth at home without medical assistance.
A jury recommended a life sentence for each count against Cherie Walker, with formal sentencing pending. Prosecutors stated that Walker knew her husband was abusing the then-10-year-old child in their Muskogee home but did not intervene.
The 11-year-old gave birth to a full-term baby in August of the previous year inside the couple's residence. She received no prenatal care or medical attention during the delivery. The child sought medical help at a local hospital shortly after giving birth, which led to the arrest of both Cherie and Dustin Walker on neglect charges. DNA testing later confirmed Dustin Walker was the father of the baby with 99 percent certainty.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Dustin Walker had abused the child on multiple occasions. Adults in the home, including Cherie Walker and the child's maternal grandmother, Michelle Justus, were found to have failed in providing basic care, supervision, and medical attention. The child had not seen a doctor in over a year and was withdrawn from school while pregnant, limiting opportunities for intervention by educators or medical professionals.
Both Cherie Walker and Justus denied knowledge of the pregnancy. Justus previously stated that neither she nor her daughter or son-in-law were aware of the abuse and loved the children. Justus is also facing child neglect charges and is scheduled for trial. She had previously accused a 12-year-old boy of raping her granddaughter.
Dustin Walker was previously sentenced to 42 years and a life sentence for child abuse and neglect. He had entered a blind guilty plea in March to six counts of child neglect and one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12. A blind plea means no plea agreement was made, leaving sentencing to the judge's discretion. He apologized for his actions in court and was barred from contacting the victims upon sentencing.
Investigators found that Cherie and Dustin Walker's five other children, aged two to nine, were living in deplorable conditions. The children were removed from the home after authorities discovered them without clothing and in environments with urine and dog feces. Photos from the residence indicated a lack of air conditioning and running water.
Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson described the case as one of the most serious child sexual abuse and neglect cases she has prosecuted, highlighting the emotional toll on those involved in law enforcement and victim services.