GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, Wash. — Andrew Carlson, the father of missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, was sentenced to 12 months in prison Monday for two counts of endangerment with a controlled substance for exposing children to methamphetamine.
Carlson pleaded guilty to the charges on March 14.
The charges are not related to the 5-year-old’s disappearance.
“I would like to say that I deeply regret my failing as a father,” Andrew Carlson said before sentencing. “I haven’t done a lot of things correctly for the past seven years or so. I’m very ready to turn that around, and if I can’t be a father to my children, then I can at least be an example that they can look at and say that I did the right thing.”
Under the endangerment charges, Andrew Carlson was accused of knowingly or intentionally permitting two of his dependent children to be exposed to, ingest, inhale, or have contact with methamphetamine. According to court documents, Oakley's siblings had "extremely high" levels of methamphetamines in their systems, suggesting they had either been exposed to the drug or may have ingested it.
Andrew Carlson had no previous criminal history. He is eligible for early release as soon as August 2022.
In addition to 12 months in prison, Judge Katherine Svoboda said Andrew Carlson cannot consume controlled substances, including marijuana or THC, without a valid prescription. He must also obtain a chemical dependency evaluation within 45 days of his release, follow up with any treatment recommended and provide proof to the court within six months of release.
Svoboda set a chemical dependency evaluation for Andrew Carlson on September 12, 2022, adding, “if you don’t get that, there is simply no hope you’re not going to appear before me again.”
Additionally, Andrew Carlson is not allowed to have any firearms or have any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, with the exception of his biological children pending dependency court hearings.
“I dunno how you dig yourself out of this hole, Mr. Carlson, but you’ve earned every day," Svoboda said during sentencing.
A similar plea agreement was offered to Oakley's mother, Jordan Bowers. Grays Harbor Deputy Prosecutor Jason Walker said Bowers would likely receive a longer sentence because she has a criminal history. Bowers pleaded not guilty to the charges and is expected to stand trial on April 19.
“The evidence that I have is that [Andrew Carlson] was the more responsible of the two parents, and I think his [guilty] plea kind of shows that,” Walker said in court Monday. “I think he felt responsible.”
Neither Andrew Carlson nor Bowers have been charged in relation to Oakley’s disappearance. She was last seen alive on Feb. 10, 2021.
Police started looking for Oakley in December 2021 when a school principal called and requested a welfare check. The Oakville Elementary School principal called the police after one of Oakley’s siblings told her at a sleepover that “Oakley is no more,” according to court documents.
Investigators said Oakley wasn’t seen during the welfare check and both Bowers and Andrew Carlson were uncooperative.
During a search of the family’s home, police found toys and clothing for all kids, except Oakley. They also found blood on blinds at the home and the front door. Investigators searched the family’s 300-acre property but didn’t find Oakley.
Though Oakley spent most of her life in foster care, she was returned to the custody of her biological parents in 2019.
Anyone with information about Oakley's disappearance is asked to contact the Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 360-533-8765 or contact Detective Sgt. Paul Logan at 360-964-1729 or by email at sodetectives@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.