An 11-year-old girl delivered a baby at her Oklahoma home with no medical care and her parents have now been charged with felony child neglect.
The girl’s mother, Cherie Walker, 33, and her stepfather, Dustin Walker, 34, were both arrested after they allegedly failed to provide supervision or medical assistance for their daughter, who delivered a full-term baby on August 16, according to multiple local outlets.
The girl was 36 weeks pregnant, according to court documents obtained by FOX23. However her parents claimed that had no idea she was pregnant, Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson said.
Investigators said the child had not seen a doctor in more than a year and had not received any prenatal care. Hutson told KJRH the incident came to light only after the girl was taken to the hospital following the birth.
“I was horror-stricken to find out it’s an 11-year-old little girl who’s given birth,” Hutson told FOX23. “And that she had no medical care, and she had no one to be with her.”
Both the mother and the stepfather are each charged with felony child neglect.
They are being held in the Muskogee County Jail on a $100,000 bond each and are scheduled to appear in court on September 3.
Hutson told KJRH that additional charges may be filed and that authorities are awaiting paternity test results to find out the identity of the baby’s father.
“This child is traumatized,” Hutson told KOTV.
“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.”
