A state agency responsible for investigating complaints against the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) has determined the department properly handled missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson’s case.
Oakley’s former foster parents and members of the Oakville community have been calling for an investigation into DCYF’s handling of Oakley’s case since Oakley was declared missing following a welfare check in December 2021.
Oakley entered foster care when she was roughly 8 months old and returned to her biological parents’ custody in November 2019 at the age of 3.
Oakley’s biological parents, Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson, claim they last saw her on Nov. 30, 2021, but the last time detectives with the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office can definitively confirm Oakley was seen alive was nine months prior, on Feb. 10, 2021.
Oakley’s biological parents have not cooperated with the investigation into Oakley’s disappearance or with efforts to find her.
Both were convicted on unrelated child endangerment concerning their other children earlier this year.
In May, Gov. Jay Inslee asked the Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds (OFCO) to examine DCYF’s handling of Oakley’s case, “whether to affirm that DCYF followed all proper protocols and policies, or to identify whether agency actions may have contributed to her disappearance,” according to a letter recently obtained by FOX 13 News.
OFCO, a state agency separate from DCYF, investigates complaints about agency actions or inaction that involve any child at risk of abuse, neglect or other harm; a child or parent involved with child protection or child welfare services and the welfare of children in state care, according to OFCO's website.
OFCO Director Patrick Dowd sent a letter to Inslee on Sept. 7 detailing the laws prohibiting OFCO and DCYF from releasing details about Oakley’s case unless she’s confirmed dead, the laws and policies governing DCYF’s duties and responsibilities, and the outcome of OFCO’s investigation.
“Our investigation primarily focused on family reunification efforts, permanency planning, and (DCYF’s) response to any identified child safety risk or risk factors prior to and after Oakley was returned home,” reads a copy of the letter obtained by FOX 13.
“We found that (DCYF’s) actions and conducts in this case were consistent with laws, policies and court orders,” wrote Dowd, “Our investigation however identified opportunities to improve services to families, specifically to preserve and strengthen the parent-child bond when a child is removed from the home.” Dowd went on to state that parent-child visits are “critical” to “a successful family reunion” and said reunification planning “should not only focus on a parent’s successful compliance with services but should also address parent-child bonding and attachment issues.”
Oakley’s former foster mother, Jamie Jo Hiles, reportedly told FOX 13 she was “outraged” and had spoken to Dowd regarding the case, informing him she called Child Protective Services twice regarding concerns about Oakley and her biological parents, but believes no one followed up to check on Oakley and her siblings.
"Show integrity and transparency and release the investigation in full that proves no wrongdoing on behalf of not only DCYF, but Washington state as well. If that can’t be done, then I am AGAIN requesting an outside agency review of Oakley’s DCYF case that can be done with impartiality. We want justice for our little girl and to make sure that this tragedy never happens again," Hiles wrote in a statement to FOX 13 News.
Public outrage at the circumstances surrounding Oakley’s disappearance sparked a petition in December to the state Legislature urging lawmakers to require more safety supports for foster children placed back into their biological homes.
In the two days the petition was active on change.org in December, it garnered 6,926 signatures.
A reward fund for information leading to Oakley’s whereabouts had reached $80,000 as of Thursday, according to FOX 13.
The reward fund is managed by Light the Way Missing Persons Advocacy Project.
More information on Oakley’s case and opportunities to help with the search effort can be found at https://justiceforoakley.wixsite.com/home.
Anyone with information that could aid law enforcement in their search for Oakley is encouraged to contact Contact the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office at 360-533-8765 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. To speak to a detective directly, contact Detective Sgt. Paul Logan at 360-964-1729 or email sodetectives@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
