An Oklahoma woman has been found guilty of failing to protect her 11-year-old daughter from sexual abuse by the child’s father, who was later identified through DNA testing as the father of the girl’s baby.
Cherie Walker was convicted on Friday, July 17, of one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect following a jury trial in Muskogee County, according to court documents.
The jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment for each of the seven counts. Walker is expected to be formally sentenced at a later date, according to KJRH.
The verdict followed four days of testimony from emergency responders, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, Department of Human Services employees, church members and relatives. After considering the evidence, jurors found Walker guilty on all charges.
The case began in August 2025, when authorities learned that an 11-year-old girl had given birth inside the family’s home in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The child had reportedly received no prenatal care and delivered the baby without medical assistance.
Prosecutors alleged that Walker knew her husband, Dustin Walker, was sexually abusing their daughter but failed to intervene or protect the child. DNA testing later established that Dustin was the biological father of the baby, according to local media reports.
Dustin pleaded guilty on March 26 to one count of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and six counts of child neglect. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the sexual abuse conviction. He also received consecutive prison terms for the child neglect convictions.
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Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson previously spoke about the long-term impact the abuse and childbirth had on the young victim. “This child is traumatized,” Hutson previously told News On 6.
“She’s been through a horrific ordeal. 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.” The investigation has also resulted in a child neglect charge against the victim’s grandmother, Michelle Justus.
Justus has pleaded not guilty and is expected to stand trial on July 23. The charge against her remains an allegation, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The identity of the child has not been disclosed because she is a minor and a victim of sexual abuse.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.