An Oklahoma woman could face life in prison after a jury convicted her of her role in the severe neglect and sexual abuse of her 11-year-old daughter, who was forced to give birth at home without medical care to a child fathered by the woman’s husband.
Cherie Dawn Walker, 34, was found guilty last week by a Muskogee County jury on one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect, according to court records seen by Law & Crime. Jurors recommended a life sentence for each of the seven counts.
The conviction follows the sentencing of Walker’s husband, 35-year-old Dustin Joel Walker, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and six counts of child neglect.
In June, Muskogee County District Judge Timothy King sentenced him to life in prison plus 42 years, specifying that the 42-year term be served before the life sentence began. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and banned from contact with the victims, as reported by Law & Crime.
Authorities launched an investigation in 2025 after discovering that the couple’s 11-year-old daughter had delivered a full-term infant inside their Muskogee County home without any prenatal or medical assistance. Investigators determined the child had not seen a doctor in more than a year.
Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office officials later confirmed that DNA testing established a 99 percent certainty that Dustin Walker was the infant’s father.
Speaking to NBC affiliate KJRH, Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson recalled her reaction upon learning the details of the case.
“I was horror-stricken to find out it’s an 11-year-old little girl who’s given birth,” Hutson said. “And that she had no medical care, and she had no one to be with her.”
Hutson told CBS affiliate KOTV that the young girl faced long-term psychological effects.
“This child is traumatized,” Hutson said. “She’s been through a horrific ordeal. I mean, 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.”
Prosecutors pushed back against statements from family members who claimed they were unaware of the pregnancy, describing the child as “rather petite,” and noting that she gave birth to a normal-sized baby.
Hutson pointed out that the girl had been kept out of traditional school settings, which prevented external observers from detecting the situation.
“The child had been out of school for a period of time, and it is my understanding that children may have been homeschooled,” Hutson told KOTV, adding that schools and medical providers were typically key sources for identifying and reporting suspected abuse.
Hutson encouraged the public to remain vigilant, telling KOTV: “I want people to know that there are resources available to reach out to law enforcement, the Department of Human Services, or the district attorney’s office when you see something that may be abuse or neglect.”
Following the arrests, neighbors reported that the home lacked basic utilities and living conditions.
Neighbor Cheryl Adkins told KJRH that six children in the home were exposed to unsanitary environments, claiming the residence had “no running water for the last two or three years” and contained multiple pets.
Adkins added that she had previously contacted authorities regarding the children’s welfare.
“This is getting to me,” Adkins said. “They robbed her of her childhood.”
Family members publicly defended the couple following their arrests. The child’s maternal grandmother, Michelle Justus, disputed prosecutor claims and told KJRH, “I just want people to know, we did not know this was happening. None of us.”
“They’ve made my daughter and my son-in-law a monster,” Justus told the outlet. “They are not. They love those children. They love them.”
Addressing allegations regarding the home’s condition, Justus said: “We have animals, and so sometimes there’s trash on the floor because the dogs get into the trash. It gets cleaned up. Right now, it’s probably a mess because the animals are in there. We try to let them out, but they try to keep it clean.”
Before the release of the DNA test results, Justus also told the outlet that the family was told a minor was involved.
“She keeps telling us that it was a little 12-year-old that I used to babysit,” Justus said. “She keeps telling everybody that it was him. They got curious. That’s all I know.”
Justus has since been charged with child neglect in connection with the case. Court records show her trial is scheduled to begin on July 23.
The 11-year-old victim and her siblings were removed from the residence by state authorities following the initial arrests. If Judge King accepts the jury’s recommendations at the upcoming sentencing hearing, Cherie Walker will serve seven consecutive life sentences.
