An Oklahoma mother has been convicted of child neglect and enabling child sexual abuse, with a jury recommending a life sentence on each of six counts.
Cherie Walker, 34, was found to have known that her husband, Dustin Walker, was sexually abusing her 11-year-old daughter at their Muskogee home but did not intervene, according to prosecutors. The 11-year-old gave birth to a full-term child at home in August of the previous year without any prenatal care or medical assistance during the birth.
The girl sought medical help at a local hospital shortly after the birth, which led to the arrest of Cherie and Dustin Walker. DNA testing later confirmed Dustin Walker was the father of the baby with 99 percent certainty.
The jury's verdict followed four days of testimony from law enforcement, first responders, medical professionals, Department of Human Services employees, and others. Cherie Walker will be formally sentenced by a judge at a later date.
An investigation revealed that Dustin Walker had repeatedly abused the child, resulting in her pregnancy. Adults in the home, including Cherie Walker and the child's maternal grandmother, Michelle Justus, are accused of failing to provide basic care, supervision, or medical attention. The child had not seen a doctor in over a year and was withdrawn from school while pregnant, limiting opportunities for intervention.
Both Cherie Walker and Justus have denied knowledge of the pregnancy. Justus, who is charged with child neglect and scheduled for trial, previously accused a 12-year-old boy of raping her granddaughter.
Dustin Walker was previously sentenced to 42 years in prison and a life sentence for child abuse and neglect. He entered a blind guilty plea to six counts of child neglect and one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 in March. He apologized for his actions in court and is barred from contacting the victims.
Cherie and Dustin Walker shared five other children, aged two to nine, who were removed from the home last year. Investigators found the children living in "deplorable conditions," including in dog feces, without clothing, and in a home with no air conditioning or 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, noting the emotional toll it took on everyone involved.