Oklahoma Man Charged with Sexual Abuse
An Oklahoma man faced charges of sexual abuse on Monday following DNA tests that confirmed his 11-year-old stepdaughter had given birth to his child, as reported by NBC News.
Dustin Walker, 34, along with his wife Cherry Walker, 33, were initially charged with child negligence after the girl delivered the baby at home on August 16. They claimed they were unaware of her pregnancy and hadn’t sought medical attention for over a year.
The charges against Walker escalated when DNA results indicated he was a 99.9% match to the child. He’s alleged to have abused the girl between January and August. Moreover, his wife has been accused of enabling the abuse.
In addition, both were charged with six counts of felony child neglect. Reports state that their five children, aged 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9, lived in unacceptable conditions, including uncleanliness, and were removed from their home on Tuesday.
The girl’s grandmother, identified as Michelle, expressed that her daughter and son-in-law love their children and feel misrepresented as “monsters.” She insisted, “We didn’t know this was happening. There wasn’t any warning for us.”
“They’ve turned my daughter and stepson into monsters. They truly love those kids,” she added.
A neighbor, Cheryl Adkins, told KJRH that the children had been without running water for the past couple of years. She mentioned that she had called the police multiple times regarding their welfare, fearing that assistance might come too late. Adkins suspects that the family was aware of the young girl’s pregnancy.
“This situation hits close to home. They have taken her childhood away,” Adkins remarked.
Both Walker and his wife are held on a $100,000 bond. They are set to appear in court on September 3, and if convicted, could face life sentences.
