An Oklahoma mom claimed she didn’t know her 11-year-old was pregnant with her husband’s baby, and now she’s been handed seven life sentences

Cherie Walker has been sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences following her conviction for enabling child abuse and child neglect in Muskogee County, Oklahoma. The sentencing took place on Friday, Oct. 30, according to public court records reviewed by PEOPLE.

The case first came to light when emergency crews were called to a home in Muskogee in August 2025, per KOKH. There, responders discovered an 11-year-old girl who had just given birth. Investigators later confirmed through DNA testing that the baby’s father was the girl’s stepfather, Dustin Walker.

Prosecutors said the home lacked running water and the girl had not seen a doctor for more than a year, per the outlet. The child received no prenatal care and gave birth at home before being transported to a hospital, where medical staff alerted authorities.

The usual opportunities for intervention did not exist

During the initial investigation, Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told KOTV that doctors and schools usually notice and report signs of abuse. In this case, though, Hutson said there were limited opportunities for intervention. “The child had been out of school for a period of time, and it is my understanding that children may have been homeschooled,” she said.

School staff are often the ones who flag warning signs, as in one Virginia case where a teacher repeatedly warned administrators about a 6-year-old student.

Cherie Walker, 34, faced one count of enabling child sexual abuse and six counts of child neglect. During the legal proceedings, prosecutors argued that she was aware of the abuse her daughter suffered at the hands of her husband but failed to intervene. PEOPLE reports that she was found guilty on all seven felony counts on July 17.

KOKH reported that Dustin Walker pleaded guilty in March to one count of child sexual abuse of a child under 12 and six counts of child neglect. He received a life sentence for the sexual abuse charge and an additional 42 years for the neglect charges.

According to KJRH, the child’s grandmother, Michelle Justus, has also been charged with six counts of child neglect. Prosecutors allege she was aware of the abuse in the home and did nothing to stop it. Justus has said she did not know what was happening, telling KJRH, “They’ve made my daughter and my son-in-law a monster. They are not. They love those children. They love them.” Her trial is ongoing, and she has not been convicted.

Both Cherie and Dustin Walker reportedly claimed they were unaware the child was pregnant until the birth. Speaking to KOTV, Hutson disputed this, describing the child as “rather petite” and the baby as a normal-sized infant. “This child is traumatized,” Hutson said. “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.”