An Oklahoma mother has been found guilty after prosecutors said she failed to protect her 11-year-old daughter from sexual abuse by her husband, who later fathered the child’s baby.
Cherie Walker was convicted Friday (July 17) on one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect following a jury trial in Muskogee County.
According to People, jurors recommended a sentence of life in prison on each count. Walker will be formally sentenced at a later date.
Jury Convicts Oklahoma Mother on All Counts
The verdict came after four days of testimony from emergency responders, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, Department of Human Services employees, church members and family members.
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According to prosecutors, the case began in August 2025 after authorities discovered an 11-year-old girl had given birth inside her family’s Muskogee, Okla., home without prenatal care or medical assistance.
Prosecutors alleged Walker knew her husband was sexually abusing their daughter but failed to protect her. After deliberating, jurors found Walker guilty on all seven counts.
Husband Already Sentenced to Life in Prison
DNA testing later identified Walker’s husband, Dustin Walker, as the father of the girl’s baby.
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In March, Dustin Walker pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and six counts of child neglect.
He was later sentenced to life in prison for the sexual abuse conviction, along with consecutive prison terms for the child neglect convictions.
Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson previously described the lasting trauma the child has endured.
This child is traumatized. 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.
Grandmother Also Faces Charges
The investigation has also led to charges against the victim’s grandmother, Michelle Justus.
She has pleaded not guilty to one count of child neglect and is scheduled to stand trial on July 23.
If you suspect a child is being abused, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or visit Childhelp.org. The confidential hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in more than 170 languages.
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