The parents of a missing 5-year-old Oakville girl Oakley Carlson are facing a new charge as they remain persons of interest in the disappearance of their daughter.
Detectives recently discovered Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson had not been providing prescribed medication prescribed to their 6-year-old daughter as required by her doctor for approximately 15 months, according to a Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office news release.
The Grays Harbor County Prosecutor’s Office has since charged both Bowers and Carlson with second-degree abandonment of a dependent person.
“This is the only charge the suspects are being held on at this time,” said the sheriff’s office.
Bail was set at $150,000 for both suspects.
Both Bowers and Carlson are scheduled for preliminary appearance hearings in Grays Harbor County Superior Court at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 10.
Detectives continue to seek information from anyone who may have seen Oakley Carlson, who the sheriff’s office says hasn’t been seen alive since Jan. 27, 2021.
“With all of the attention this investigation has gathered, they have not received any information that Oakley has been seen alive since that date,” said the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office in a news release.
The parents claim the last time they saw Oakley alive was Nov. 30.
“The parents have given no indication that Oakley is in the care of an adult and cannot account for her whereabouts or condition,” said the news release. “Investigators believe Oakley would be unable to survive on her own for this length of time.”
Her parents, Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson, both of Oakville, are considered persons of interest. Both were arrested Monday evening on suspicion of manslaughter, according to Undersheriff Brad Johansson.
Law enforcement became involved when Oakville Elementary School Principal Jessica Swift contacted the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Department with concerns about Oakley’s safety, according to a detective’s report.
Swift reported there was a recent house fire at the residence in the 100 block of Bartell Road and, while she and fire personnel had contact with Oakley’s parents “almost every day” afterwards to provide them with support and supplies, Swift “never saw Oakley and began to worry.”
According to Swift’s report to police, Bowers told Swift that “Oakley had started the fire with a lighter on the couch,” and said the family “didn’t call 911 because they could not find their phones.”
The Carlsons were temporarily staying at a Tumwater inn after the fire, according to court documents.
In a report to the Tumwater Police Department, Swift reportedly said she had one of Oakley's siblings over for a sleepover on Dec. 3 and when asked about Oakley, the 6-year-old “became very upset, saying ‘Oakley is no more,’” according to a report from a Tumwater police officer.
When interviewed by detectives later, the 6-year-old initially said “she does not have a sister,” but later said “Oakley was her sister but she had not seen her in a long time.” She was reportedly silent for “one minute” when directly asked about Oakley, eventually saying “her mother Jordan told her not to talk about Oakley and that she had gone out to be eaten by wolves,” according to a detective’s report. When asked if Oakley was hurt, “she didn't respond and started to cry,” according to the report.
A Tumwater police officer was dispatched to conduct a welfare check on Oakley at the inn where her parents were staying, located within the 1600 block of Southwest Mottman Road, just before 10 a.m. on Dec. 6.
The officer knocked twice before Bowers answered the door with a 2-year-old boy in her arms, according to the detective’s report.
The room was orderly, as the family was packing their personal items to move out of the hotel room, and the 2-year-old “had clothing on and appeared nourished,” according to another officer’s report.
When asked about Oakley’s whereabouts, Bowers reportedly said “Oakley is with her mom,” but when the officer asked Bowers to confirm Bowers was Oakley’s mom, Bowers said “yes.”
The officer asked again where Oakley was, and Bowers reportedly “turned to look in the room and asked someone I didn't see, saying ‘Oakley is at your mom and dads.’”
Carlson then came to the door at the officer’s request, and the officer asked him where Oakley was. “Andrew initially didn’t respond to the question,” said the officer in his report. When asked again, Carlson reportedly said Oakley was with his dad, but when the officer asked for the dad’s phone number, Carlson reportedly said he didn’t have his dad’s phone number and initially said he didn’t know his dad’s address, but eventually provided it.
Another officer contacted Carlson’s father, Fred, who “stated he did not have Oakley and had not seen her in almost a year,” according to the officer’s report. Officers later checked the address to see if Oakley was there. She wasn’t.
Officers contacted Child Protective Services to confirm Oakley was not in foster care and that she should be with her parents.
Officers returned to the inn to talk with Bowers and Carlson separately.
When an officer told Andrew that Oakley wasn't with his father, “Andrew’s demeanor was one of indifference or that he already knew the information that was being given to him,” said the officer.
When given the same information, “(Bower’s) demeanor was one of anger, and then she yelled, ‘I’m not going to answer any of your questions’” before going back into the hotel room, according to the detective’s report.
“She became enraged, yelling, clenching her fists, and refused to answer any further questions about the welfare or wellbeing of her daughter,” wrote another officer.
While leaving the hotel, an officer reported he saw a vehicle registered to Carlson and noted that, while the couple have four children between the ages of 2 and 9, there was only one child car seat in the car.
At 2:06 p.m. that same day, Swift called the police to report Bowers had called the school “and stated there was an emergency and she needed to come get (her 6-year-old) from the school.” School staff were ordered not to release the six-year-old to her mother, but “neither Jordan nor Andrew ever showed up at the school” to pick up their child, according to the police report.
At 3:31 p.m., an officer confirmed Bowers and Carlson left the hotel with the 2-year-old.
Officers followed them to their fire-damaged Oakville residence, where they were both arrested for allegedly obstructing a police officer.
A search of the residence revealed “clothing and toys for all of the children except Oakley,” as well as “blood splatter on the blinds near the front door, on the front door and a handprint on the wall in the downstairs hallway.”
Child Protective Services has since taken custody of both the 2-year-old and the 6-year-old, according to court documents. The documents don't specify who has custody of the 9-year-old, but only Oakley has been declared missing.
Bowers and Carlson were both booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail on Dec. 6 on a 72-hour hold for suspicion of manslaughter.
Anyone with information that may be helpful in the case is advised to contact detectives by calling the sheriff’s office’s non-emergency number at 360-533-8765 or contacting Detective Sgt. Paul Logan at 360-964-1729 or sodetectives@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
