Cherie and Dustin Walker, the mother and stepfather of an 11-year-old girl from Muskogee County, Oklahoma, are facing felony child neglect charges after prosecutors say the child was forced to give birth to a full-term baby inside her home without any medical assistance.
The horrifying ordeal came to light on August 16, when the young girl was rushed to a hospital after delivering the baby. According to investigators, the girl had not seen a doctor in more than a year and received no prenatal care during her pregnancy.
“I was horror-stricken,” Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson said.
“Not only because it was an 11-year-old little girl who’s given birth, but because she had no medical care, and she had no one to be with her.”
The parents of an 11-year-old girl forced to give birth alone are now facing felony child neglect charges
Prosecutors allege that both Cherie, 33, and Dustin, 34, failed at nearly every level of parental responsibility.
They are accusing them not only of ignoring their daughter’s worsening physical state during pregnancy, but of allowing her to endure the traumatic process of childbirth completely alone.
The girl, who was 36 weeks pregnant, reportedly delivered the baby at home without any professional assistance, pain relief, or adult guidance.
The case was described by authorities as one of the most “horrific” examples of neglect and ab*se they’ve ever seen, with Hutson explaining the life-altering consequences of the incident.
“This child is traumatized,” the attorney said. “She’s been through a horrific ordeal. Not only has somebody gotten her pregnant, but she gave birth at home without medical assistance.
“This will be her life for the rest of her days.”
Authorities confirmed that the girl had not seen a doctor in more than a year.
More than that, she had been completely isolated from anyone who could’ve helped her. There was no prenatal care, no school enrollment, and no guardian to take care of her, even as her body changed over the course of nine months.
Despite this, both Cherie and Dustin Walker tried to defend themselves by claiming they were “unaware” of their daughter’s pregnancy.
The parents claim they were unaware of their daughter’s pregnancy, even as her body dramatically changed
The claim was immediately met with disbelief by both prosecutors and the public.
“Why would they not immediately take that child to the emergency room or call an ambulance when they saw something happening to her if they didn’t know she was pregnant?” a reader asked.
“She had to be screaming in pain. They were trying to cover it up.”
Now, the girl’s siblings have been removed from the household, and authorities are investigating whether the family had intentionally kept the children out of school in an effort to avoid scrutiny.
Homeschooling, if confirmed, may have created an environment where no outsiders were able to detect the ab*se or intervene.
“We rely on teachers, medical professionals, people in the community to be those people who stand up and say something,” Hutson added.
“But if a child isn’t going to school, if they’re not seeing a doctor, if they’re cut off from those safety nets, it becomes much harder.”
Authorities are still waiting on paternity test results to determine who fathered the baby, and whether further criminal charges are warranted.
Hutson, however, believes the truth is already lurking in plain sight: a truth the child may be too afraid or too broken to voice, but one she carries with her every moment.
“I do anticipate filing additional charges,” she said. “And amending that information shortly.”
Investigators are awaiting DNA test results to determine whether additional charges are warranted
Still, not everyone believes the Walkers are guilty of deliberate neglect.
Michelle, the maternal grandmother of the child, has publicly defended her daughter and son-in-law, describing them as loving parents caught in a massive misunderstanding.
“They’ve made my daughter and my son-in-law a monster. They are not,” Michelle told local media.
“They love those children. They love them. I just want people to know, we did not know this was happening. None of us.”
Hutson, on the other hand, called the case one of the most disturbing she’s seen in her career, and took the chance to issue a reminder to the public:
“There are resources available. You can reach out to law enforcement, to the Department of Human Services, or to the district attorney’s office if you see something that might be ab*se or neglect.”
Cherie and Dustin Walker are due in court on Wednesday, September 3.
“They must rot in jail.” Netizens were horrified by the incident, and called for justice to be served
