Grandmother of 11-Year-Old Girl Who Allegedly Gave Birth to Stepdad's Baby Also Arrested

53-year-old Michelle Justus was reportedly arrested last Friday in Muskogee and charged with six counts of child neglect, per 2 News Oklahoma. Her arrest comes after she identified herself as the victim's grandmother in an interview with the same outlet, telling them she's the mother of Cherie Walker and mother-in-law to Cherie's husband, Dustin, who have also both been arrested.

Dustin, according to the Muskogee County District Attorney's Office, came up as a 99.9% DNA match as the baby's father, leading to him being charged with sexual abuse of a child under 12. Cherie, meanwhile, was charged with enabling child sexual abuse.

The couple are also facing six counts of felony child neglect in connection to the 11-year-old victim and her five siblings, including failing to provide their daughter with adequate medical care and supervision when she gave birth at home. Additionally, the children were reported to be "living in deplorable conditions," with the legal filings noting that "the victims were found to be living in dog feces and had no clothing on."

Before the DNA test results had come back, the girl's grandmother insisted that no one in the family knew the girl was pregnant. The child's parents also both told authorities they had no idea she was pregnant.

Prior to her arrest, Justus told 2 News Oklahoma, "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 also claimed that the father of the child was a "12-year-old that I used to babysit. She keeps telling everybody that it was him. They got curious. That's all I know."

In regard to the alleged home conditions, Michelle, who purportedly lives with the family, said, "We have animals, and so sometimes there's trash on the floor because the dogs get into the trash. It gets cleaned up. Right now, it's probably a mess because the animals are in there. We try to let them out, but they try to keep it clean."

Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Janet Hutson told NBC affiliate KJHR that her office first became aware of the case after the unidentified girl was transported to a hospital after she'd given birth unattended by medical professionals in the family's home on August 16.

Fox affiliate KOKI reports, per court filings, that the girl had not been to see a doctor in more than a year and received no prenatal care before delivering the child. 

Speaking with CBS affiliate KOTV, Hutson said that while schools and doctors typically report cases like this, it appears that the girl was homeschooled, limiting opportunities for awareness of her condition and possible intervention on her behalf.

"This child is traumatized," Hutson said before paternity had been determined. "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."

After the DNA results came in, Hutson called this "one of the most if not the most serious child sexual abuse and neglect cases I have ever prosecuted" in a statement received by NBC News. "Each of the charges against both defendants are punishable by up to life," she added.

The couple is due back in court on September 3.

If you are experiencing or witness 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. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.