MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A mother and father are facing felony child neglect charges after their 11-year-old daughter gave birth at home without any medical care, authorities said.
The child was 36 weeks pregnant when she delivered a full-term baby at their family residence on August 16. According to court documents, the parents, 34-year-old Dustin Walker and 33-year-old Cherie Walker, claimed they were unaware of the pregnancy.
The documents also reveal the child had not received medical care in over a year and had no prenatal care during the pregnancy. Authorities became involved when the family took the newborn and mother to a hospital for care.
Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson described the situation as “horrific,” highlighting the trauma endured by the young girl who gave birth without assistance.
Neighbors reported the family lived in poor conditions, with no running water for years and multiple animals inside the home. One neighbor expressed concern that the parents must have known about the pregnancy and said, “They robbed her of her childhood.”
The child’s grandmother denied these claims, insisting the family was unaware of the pregnancy and defending their care of the children and home.
The grandmother also mentioned that the child named a 12-year-old boy, whom she used to babysit, as the possible father of the baby.
Dustin and Cherie Walker were arrested and charged with felony child neglect as the investigation continues.
