Mother and Stepfather Charged with Child Neglect After 11-Year-Old Was Allegedly Forced to Give Birth at Home Without a Doctor

NEED TO KNOW

• The mother and stepfather of an 11-year-old girl in Oklahoma have been charged with felony child neglect after their daughter gave birth to a baby at home

• Prosecutors allege that the daughter of Dustin and Cherie Walker gave birth to a full-term baby and had not been to the doctor in more than a year

• The couple said they did not know the child was pregnant

The mother and stepfather of an 11-year-old girl in Oklahoma have been charged with felony child neglect after their daughter gave birth to a baby at home.

According to reports from local outlets KOTV, FOX 23 and KJRH, Dustin Walker, 34, and Cherie Walker, 33, have been accused of failing to provide supervision or medical care for the child after she gave birth to a full-term child on Aug. 16 in Muskogee.

Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told KOTV that both adults alleged that they did not know the child was pregnant when she gave birth. Court documents obtained by FOX 23 reportedly state that she was 36 weeks pregnant.

In the court documents, investigators said the 11-year-old had not been to the doctor in more than a year and had not received any prenatal care. Hutson told KJRH that the district attorney's office learned about the incident after the girl was taken to the hospital after giving 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.”

The district attorney also said that she anticipates filing additional charges against the parents, and authorities are currently waiting on paternity test results to determine 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."

Hutson also told KOTV that the girl and other children in the home may have been homeschooled.

"The guardians are currently in the Muskogee County Jail," Hutson added to KJRH. "They both have a $100,000 bond in place. Like I said, I do anticipate filing additional charges and amending that information shortly."

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The 11-year-old's grandmother, who was identified by KJRH as Michelle, spoke out in defense of the couple, telling the outlet: "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. They are not. They love those children. They love them," she said, adding that she hopes to see her grandchildren again.

The couple is next set to appear in court on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Hutson reminded the public that there are various ways to report suspected child neglect.

"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," she told KOTV.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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