Oakley Carlson has been missing since Feb. 10, 2021, from Oakville.

Oakley was just 4 years old when she was last seen, and her disappearance remains unresolved. She spent her early years in a loving foster home where she thrived, before being returned to her biological parents in 2019.

In late 2021, following a fire at the family’s home, a concerned school principal requested a welfare check. Deputies responding to that call discovered Oakley had not been seen for many months. She was discovered missing on Dec. 6, 2021, nearly 10 months after she was last seen.

Oakley was a bright, loving child who brought joy to those around her. Her disappearance continues to deeply affect her former foster family and a community that has searched tirelessly for answers.

Both of Oakley’s biological parents remain suspects and have faced charges unrelated to her disappearance, yet no one has been held accountable for what happened to Oakley.

During a welfare check, Oakley’s biological parents, Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson, were taken into custody but refused to provide any credible information about Oakley’s whereabouts.

Bowers and Carlson were initially charged with manslaughter in the first degree; however, the charges were later dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Both were subsequently convicted of two counts of endangerment with a controlled substance for exposing Oakley’s siblings to methamphetamine. Carlson was sentenced to 12 months in jail but released after serving less than eight. Bowers was sentenced to 20 months, released in January 2023, and immediately booked on unrelated identity theft charges. She later received a 43-month sentence for those charges. While these cases are unrelated to Oakley, both Bowers and Carlson remain suspects in her disappearance and continue to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement.

Oakley spent her early childhood, from 7 months to nearly 3 years old, in foster care with her foster parents, Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles, who provided a safe and nurturing home where she thrived. The Hiles, along with community members, repeatedly raised concerns about Oakley’s safety with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (WA DCYF), both during and after Oakley’s return to her biological parents. They allege that their concerns were not taken seriously by social worker Angela Fries and her supervisor Kathryn Eddy, and they continue to seek answers for Oakley.

According to police reports and court documents, while in the care of Bowers and Carlson, Oakley was starved, physically abused, and locked in a cell as punishment for “bad” behavior. From 2013 to 2021, WA DCYF received eleven intake calls about the family regarding domestic violence, physical abuse, parental drug use, and medical neglect but only eight were investigated.

In January 2021, a report documented scratches and bruising on Oakley’s face. WA DCYF opened an investigation, but Oakley remained in her parents’ care despite their refusal to cooperate. In November 2021, three calls were received in two days regarding a fire at the family home; the parents did not contact emergency services, and the family continued living in the home despite being advised it was unsafe. Oakley was taken from a safe and loving foster home and returned to a home with abuse and neglect, which ultimately led to her disappearance.

Until Oakley is found and returned to the people who love her, the Hiles, Light The Way Missing Persons Advocacy Project, and the community will continue to fight for justice.

A $100,000 reward is currently being offered for information leading to Oakley’s whereabouts.

Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Department at 360-964-1770.