Nationwide — A Muskogee, Oklahoma couple is facing serious charges after an 11-year-old girl in their care gave birth at home. Authorities say the child, who was 36 weeks pregnant, delivered a baby on Saturday, August 16, without ever having seen a doctor during her pregnancy. The case has now led to child neglect charges against the couple and, following DNA results, even more severe allegations.
Court records show Dustin Walker, 34, and his wife, Cherie Walker, 33, were initially accused of neglect for failing to provide supervision or proper medical care to the girl. Investigators revealed she had not received any prenatal checkups and had not visited a doctor in over a year. The couple reportedly told officials they were unaware that the child was pregnant.
Police said they were first alerted on August 16 around 5:45 p.m. when officers were called to a local hospital. The girl had delivered her baby just an hour earlier inside a Muskogee home near South Main Street and West Southside Boulevard. Detectives immediately launched an investigation, leading to the neglect charges filed against both Dustin and Cherie Walker.
The case took a dramatic turn when the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation completed DNA testing. The results confirmed that Dustin Walker was the biological father of the infant. Prosecutors then amended the charges, elevating the case from neglect to sexual abuse. Dustin Walker is now accused of sexually abusing a child under the age of 12.
Meanwhile, Cherie Walker’s charges were upgraded as well. She is now accused of enabling child sexual abuse, on the basis that she allegedly failed to protect the child from harm. Prosecutors argue that her lack of action allowed the abuse to continue undetected and unreported.
Both Dustin and Cherie Walker remain in custody at the Muskogee County Jail as the investigation continues. Authorities say the case highlights disturbing failures in care and supervision, with one of the youngest victims possible now at the center of a criminal trial. The child and her newborn are currently under state protection.
Source: BlackNews.com
