Can’t extend some core classes

I am relatively new to wordpress development, I am trying to extend ‘Walker_Category_Checklist’ class found in /wp-admin/includes/class-walker-category-checklist.php to customize it for wp_terms_checklist() or wp_category_checklist() but when I try to require_once a link to my extended class in the child-theme function.php I get this error and site not loading!

wp_list_categories walker without links on categories that have subcategories (to make a nested dropdown menu)

I’d like to make a custom walker that works with wp_list_categories to generate a menu of nested uls using my category, sub-category, and sub-sub-category(?) structure. Any category that has sub-categories can’t be a link so it can be clicked in order to reveal the sub-categories (or sub-sub-categories).

Term Checklist Walker – Disable Parent Categories

Currently I have a structure where the top level categories are acting like landing pages, so they should have no posts directly assigned to them. What I would like to do is disable the top level terms and only allow the user to check sub-terms (children). I’ve found a walker which transforms checkboxes to radio buttons here but I don’t quite understand it enough to only change the top level parent, it keeps cascading. Was hoping somebody could break down what is going on in this walker with the main question being “How do I disable top level terms in the admin panel term metabox”