WA WA - Oakley Carlson, 5, missing during welfare check, Oakville, 10 Feb 2021 *mom guilty, identity theft*

[mooseandcoffee]

From this article "The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office said they only found out about Oakley two days ago when an associate of Bowers and Carlson called to say they had not seen Oakley in a while."

and

"FOX 13 also filed public disclosure requests, hoping to uncover how DCYF handled Oakley’s case."

And the fact that they had a house fire and didn't call 911 and this little girl hasn't been seen since around that time is very disturbing. Was the house fire an attempt to cover something up? Was she injured in the house fire? Were they high at the time and that's why they didn't call 911? Who doesn't call 911 when their house is on fire???

Were they cooking meth in the home?

 

[mooseandcoffee]

DBM: just read that she was indeed in school

 

[mooseandcoffee]

They are often assigned their own attorney. I don't know if Oakley had one but possibly so. And you're right...the State is not the childs attorney.

I know that in other children's cases there are Guardian Ad Litem assigned to the kids to look out for their best interests, apart from their parents. Don't know if she would have had one or not.

 

[mooseandcoffee]

A dear friend started fostering when they found out they couldn't have kids of their own. A few months in to fostering short term removals, a little fellow (he was five) came to them in a drug emergency removal situation. They adopted him two years later, he's a high school senior this year.

I know the foster system tries really hard to keep everyone on track. There just aren't enough people.

This is so true. I believe that so many of the people in CPS are truly trying to do their best for kids, but their caseloads are just insane. Unrealistically high. Then add in the pandemic and all of the craziness that has entailed and their jobs were even more difficult.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

If she is 5, she is in kindergarten probably. Think of the last 2 years and the inconsistencies in schooling. Kids were remote, hybrid, pulled out entirely. Parents can also pull kids to be home schooled and then the public schools aren't really involved.

EBM: just saw that she had been in school as the principal reported her missing.

She was enrolled in TK but not in Kindergarten yet. The Principal helped JB and AC after the house fire and noticed that each time she was at their house, Oakley was not there. Every time she asked where she was, they gave a different answer. The Principals child was friends with Oakley's sister and when the sister came to her house she asked her where Oakley was and this is when this all came out. This is a very very small town where everyone pretty much knows everyone.

 

[PommyMommy]

What? Link?
And there is actually a lot wrong with this.

Charges Against Missing Oakville 5-Year-Old’s Parents Elevated to Felonies | The Daily Chronicle (chronline.com)

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Charges Against Missing Oakville 5-Year-Old’s Parents Elevated to Felonies | The Daily Chronicle (chronline.com)

Thanks for the link. I like the signs that focus on the victim.

Where is Oakley?

Her "caregivers" should not be allowed out of prison until they account for her whereabouts, IMO.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

This hearing was on the abandonment charges for Oakley's sister. They could face up to 5 years in prison + $10,000 fine. Bail is set at $150k for each of them and they were both appointed attorneys. There is a stipulation that if either of them post bail, they are to go before the judge before being released. They are not allowed to communicate with each other either directly or via 3rd party. Both have failures to appear in court on prior charges. They admitted to relapsing and using Meth again. Neither showed any emotion. Next hearing is Jan 10th. It was mentioned that one of them reset their phone (likely in an attempt to hide evidence related to Oakley) 10 minutes after the police visited them at the hotel asking about Oakley.
ETA: the Detective did say that they will be able to recover what was on the phone, but it will take time. Hopefully there is something there that leads to Oakley and a conviction.

This should be non bondable being as DNA Donor has a habit of not showing up for court dates,but still court system bending over backwards for them as if they are not a fight risk. Grrrr. If only the system worked as diligently for Oakley. SMH.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

I hope that Oakley's grandmother knows she absolutely did the right thing calling CPS. CPS failed Oakley, along with anyone who wanted to look the other way and didn't call CPS.

Gee no wonder why they claim they can't talk about the case. They're in CYA not CPS mode. MOO

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

This should be non bondable being as DNA Donor has a habit of not showing up for court dates,but still court system bending over backwards for them as if they are not a fight risk. Grrrr. If only the system worked as diligently for Oakley. SMH.

I agree. I feel like their defense is going to be that they relapsed on the meth. If that helps them get off, I'll be furious!
I understand that drugs are very addictive and hard to kick, but I do not agree with making excuses for people that CHOOSE to use them. Yes, meth is a choice before it becomes an addiction.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

I know that in other children's cases there are Guardian Ad Litem assigned to the kids to look out for their best interests, apart from their parents. Don't know if she would have had one or not.

She likely had a Guardian Ad Litem or CASA and could have had her own Lawyer too.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

Gee no wonder why they claim they can't talk about the case. They're in CYA not CPS mode. MOO

I would like nothing more than to see every single detail in this case and where exactly Oakley was failed. It will never happen though. The State will cover their asses like usual. MOO

And nothing will change...

 

[Laughing]

Some of thought change would come when Washington's child protective services lost the case brought by the Coxes:

UT -Susan Powell, 28, West Valley City, 6 Dec 2009 - #7

Although we know "the pandemic" was a hindrance to us all, it seems systemic change was too slow for little Oakley IMHO.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[sk716]

I would like nothing more than to see every single detail in this case and where exactly Oakley was failed. It will never happen though. The State will cover their asses like usual. MOO

And nothing will change...

I've gone through the process to do a ballot measure here in AR. The process is loaded with hoops to jump through, but a really dedicated grass roots, boots on the ground group could have something on the WA ballot by 2024. (We got approval but pulled the ballot measure when a State Judge made a case ruling that gave us what we wanted anyway.)

I really hate it when people say that nothing will change. Our system was created for us to change it when it didn't work anymore. Change it.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

I've gone through the process to do a ballot measure here in AR. The process is loaded with hoops to jump through, but a really dedicated grass roots, boots on the ground group could have something on the WA ballot by 2024. (We got approval but pulled the ballot measure when a State Judge made a case ruling that gave us what we wanted anyway.)

I really hate it when people say that nothing will change. Our system was created for us to change it when it didn't work anymore. Change it.

BBM: If only it were that easy. Hopefully Oakley's Law can create change. I have tried to get foster parents involved in fighting for change, but so many are too afraid of retaliation (something else that's very common in the child welfare system). If anyone knows the flaws of the system, it is foster parents.

 

[sk716]

BBM: If only it were that easy. Hopefully Oakley's Law can create change. I have tried to get foster parents involved in fighting for change, but so many are too afraid of retaliation (something else that's very common in the child welfare system). If anyone knows the flaws of the system, it is foster parents.

It is. I've done it in my home state. If you want to see change, you have to make change. So make change, or join a group that is working towards the change you want to see.

How to Sponsor an Initiative

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

It is. I've done it in my home state. If you want to see change, you have to make change. So make change, or join a group that is working towards the change you want to see.

How to Sponsor an Initiative

It's not just about changing "a law", the entire child welfare system needs to change and start putting children's safety above parents rights. This is not just on a state level, but also on a federal level.

 

[sk716]

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - Lao Tzu

 

[Gobstopper]

If not for an inquisitive principal would anyone know Oakley is missing? MOO

 

[Penny4YourThoughts]

‘Kids Don’t Just Disappear’: At Vigil for Oakley Carlson, Demonstrators Voiced Anger
<snipped>
On Thursday, Dec. 30, men, women and children showed up for the Gathering for Oakley Carlson, which took place in front of Grays Harbor County Courthouse. The courthouse was the scene of the first appearance court proceedings for Jordan Bowers, 32, and Andrew Carlson, 36, the parents of Oakley and three other children.

About 100 people, most with signs, showed up to support the gathering, said Jordan Wolfe, a concerned person who facilitated the meeting because she just wants answers for Oakley’s disappearance.

“We’ve got a real good turnout here,” Wolfe said in a Snapchat video to those watching from home. “I appreciate all the bodies here. We’ve got a lot of media coverage.”

Oakley was reported missing on Dec. 6, but the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office suspects she was last seen Feb. 10, 2021.

The group peaceably assembled at about 10 a.m. Thursday along the slush-filled sidewalk in front of the courthouse, where Bowers and Carlson soon appeared for a preliminary hearing in front of Superior Court Judge Katherine Svoboda for unrelated charges.

The group’s coordinated “Oakley” chant rang throughout the bright blue sky that hovered over the courthouse. The group didn’t quit until a little before 12:30 p.m.

After Bowers’ and Carlson’s court appearances with Svoboda ended, via Zoom, some of the crowd left the front of the courthouse and walked around to the parking lot that sits right beside the Grays Harbor County Jail. There, they bellowed “Kids Don’t Just Disappear,” “Make Them Talk” and “We Love Oakley.”

In addition to chanting, there was a lot of anger inside the peaceful protest, because Oakley has not been found. Some talked about how the Carlson and Bowers were bad parents — to varying degrees — and some talked about how the Department of Children, Youth and Families’ system for foster children had failed.

Wolfe said she made sure a lot of signs were made. She said she was expecting a bigger turnout, but some must not have shown up because of the snow.

The hope on Thursday was clear, that Oakley has to be found.

Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles, Oakley’s foster parents until she was returned to Bowers and Carlson, are thankful to the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in searching for Oakley. They’re glad the search continues.

“They’re doing a great job,” Jamie Jo Hiles said. “Very transparent.”