Callum Jones
A mother and father have been charged with felony child neglect after an 11-year-old girl gave birth at home.
Dustin Walker, 34, and Cherie Walker, 33, are accused of failing to provide supervision or medical care for their daughter after she had a baby earlier this month in Muskogee.
While court documents state the unidentified child was 36 weeks pregnant, Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told KOTV that the couple had no idea she was expecting when she gave birth on August 16.
Court documents reveal the 11-year-old had not received any prenatal care and had not been to a doctor or any form of medical professional for over a year.
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The girl was taken to hospital after she gave birth at home.
Hutson told KOTV: "I was horror-stricken to find out it’s an 11-year-old little girl who’s given birth. And that she had no medical care, and she had no one to be with her.
"This child is traumatized. 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."
Huston went on to detail the potential home life of the girl and her siblings, with the attorney telling KOTV they may have been homeschooled rather than going through the traditional educational system.
The 11-year-old and her siblings have been removed from the home.
Michelle, the 11-year-old's grandmother, say recent events have made 'my daughter and my son-in-law a monster', as she claimed no one in the family was aware of the pregnancy, as per KJRH.
The parents are currently being remanded in custody, as Huston added: "The guardians are currently in the Muskogee County Jail. They both have a $100,000 bond in place. Like I said, I do anticipate filing additional charges and amending that information shortly."
They are set to appear in court on September 3.
As authorities await on a paternity test to see who the newborn's father is, Hutson has reminded the general public on how to report suspected child neglect.
She told 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."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.