In a case that has shocked Oklahoma and drawn national attention, a Muskogee couple faces a series of grave charges after authorities allege that a man impregnated his 11-year-old stepdaughter and, alongside the child’s mother, forced her to give birth in squalid conditions at home. The story, pieced together from multiple outlets including NBC News, Fox 23, USA TODAY, and the Daily Mail, reveals a harrowing sequence of neglect, abuse, and official failures that allowed the situation to unfold undetected for months.
On August 16, 2025, emergency services were called to a modest home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where an 11-year-old girl had just delivered a baby at 36 weeks gestation. The birth, which occurred without any medical assistance, immediately raised red flags among first responders and hospital staff. According to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY, the girl had not seen a doctor in over a year and was not attending school—factors that likely contributed to the pregnancy going unnoticed by anyone outside the home.
Initially, the girl’s stepfather, Dustin Walker, 34, and her mother, Cherie Walker, 33, were arrested and charged with one count each of felony child neglect. Both claimed ignorance of the pregnancy. However, as the investigation deepened, the case took an even darker turn. On August 25, the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office received DNA test results from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which revealed Dustin Walker was a 99.9% match to the baby’s father, confirming the worst fears of investigators.
“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,” Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told News 9. She further emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “This is one of the most, if not the most, serious child sexual abuse and neglect cases I have ever prosecuted.”
With the DNA evidence in hand, prosecutors amended the charges: Dustin Walker now faces one felony count of child sexual abuse for acts committed between January 1 and August 16, 2025, and six counts of felony child neglect. Cherie Walker was charged with enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of felony child neglect for her role in the events and the conditions in which all six children in the home were found.
The details emerging from the investigation paint a grim picture. When authorities entered the Walker residence, they discovered all six children—including the newborn—living in abject squalor. According to NBC News and court records, the home had no running water for at least two years. Children were found living amid dog feces, some without clothing, and trash littered the yard. A neighbor, Cheryl Adkins, told KJRH, “They have no running water for the last two or three years,” adding that she had made several calls to authorities over concerns for the children’s welfare. “They robbed her of her childhood,” Adkins said of the 11-year-old victim.
The couple’s version of events has been met with skepticism by both officials and neighbors. Despite Dustin and Cherie Walker’s claims that they were unaware of the pregnancy, Adkins remains convinced they knew. “This is getting to me,” she said, expressing frustration that help for the children arrived too late.
The children’s grandmother, Michelle, offered a different perspective, telling local media that the family had no idea what was happening. “I just want people to know, we did not know this was happening. None of us,” she said, adding, “They love those children. They love them.” Michelle also suggested that the 11-year-old told her the baby’s father was a 12-year-old boy she used to babysit, but the DNA results have definitively contradicted that claim.
Officials removed all six children from the home on August 19, just days after the birth. The children, ranging in age from 2 to 11, are now in state custody. The district attorney’s office has based the neglect charges on the couple’s alleged failure to provide adequate supervision, medical care, and shelter for the children. According to USA TODAY, “The children were living in dog feces,” and some were found unclothed. The court documents detail a pattern of neglect stretching back months, if not years.
Both Dustin and Cherie Walker remain in custody at the Muskogee County jail, each held on a $100,000 bond. They have requested court-appointed attorneys, and their next court appearance is scheduled for September 3, 2025. If convicted, both face the prospect of life imprisonment—a stark possibility that underscores the severity of the allegations.
The case has also highlighted systemic gaps in child welfare oversight. Because the victim was not in school and had not seen a doctor in over a year, there were no mandated reporters—such as teachers or physicians—to alert authorities to the girl’s condition. Assistant District Attorney Hutson pointed out to KFOR that children cannot legally give consent, emphasizing the clear-cut nature of the crime: “The child was obviously raped.”
Beyond the immediate legal proceedings, the case has sparked broader community concern and soul-searching. Neighbors and family members have voiced regret and disbelief, with some questioning how such abuse could go undetected for so long. Meanwhile, local officials and advocates have renewed calls for vigilance and stronger support systems for at-risk children. The story has put a spotlight on the importance of community awareness and the critical role of social services in preventing similar tragedies.
As the legal process unfolds, the focus remains on the victims—the 11-year-old girl and her siblings—whose lives have been irrevocably altered. “She’s been through a horrific ordeal,” Hutson said, a sentiment echoed by many following the case. For the Muskogee community and beyond, the hope is that justice will be served and that the children can begin the long process of healing and recovery.
The next chapter in this heartbreaking saga will play out in court in early September, as Oklahoma grapples with the aftermath of one of its most disturbing child abuse cases in recent memory.
