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A mom in Oklahoma learned she’s going to prison after she forced her 11-year-old daughter to give birth at home with “no medical care” to a baby that was fathered by the woman’s husband.
Cherie Dawn Walker was found guilty of one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect. Muskogee County jurors recommended that she receive a life sentence on each of the seven convictions, but a trial judge will make the final sentencing decision at an upcoming hearing.
Walker was found guilty after her husband, Dustin Joel Walker, was sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and six counts of child neglect in the same case earlier this year.
Muskogee County District Judge Timothy King sentenced Dustin to life in prison plus 42 years, stating that he must serve the 42-year sentence before he begins to serve his life sentence. Dustin was also ordered to register as a sex offender and he may not have contact with his victims. Additionally, he will be subject to supervision if he is ever released from prison.
An investigation into the incident began in 2025 after authorities learned that the couple’s 11-year-old daughter had given birth to a full-term infant inside of their home, and she did not receive any prenatal or medical care before or during the birth.
DNA testing later established with “99 percent certainty” that Dustin fathered the infant. The family members claimed that they weren’t aware the girl was pregnant, but Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson rejected the claims and noted that the victim delivered a normal-sized baby despite being “rather petite.”
“This child is traumatized. She’s been through a horrific ordeal,” Hutson told KOTV in August 2025. “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.”
Hutson said that the victim had been pulled out of school, which prevented teachers or medical professionals from noticing the abuse.
“The child had been out of school for a period of time, and it is my understanding that children may have been homeschooled,” she said.
After the couple was arrested in 2025, several members of the family denied knowing the child was pregnant.
The victim’s maternal grandmother, Michelle Justus, told KJRH that she wanted the public to know that she “did not know this was happening” and that “none of us” in the family did.
However, prosecutors maintained that there was evidence that the child had been neglected for an extended period of time and that the way the pregnancy and birth were handled supported the criminal charges.
Justus was also arrested on one count of child neglect. She is scheduled to go to trial on Thursday, July 23, and it’s not currently clear if she has entered a plea.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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