GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, Wash. — Jordan Bowers, the mother of missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, was arrested on identity theft and fraud charges minutes after being released from prison after serving her sentence for child endangerment.
The Grays Harbor Prosecutors Office filed the charges and arrest warrants were issued for three counts of first-degree identity theft and one count of second-degree identity theft.
Authorities said Bowers was identified as the suspect in a fraud investigation after complaints from multiple victims.
Bowers was booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail.
Bowers had been serving 20 months in prison for two counts of child endangerment with a controlled substance.
In 2022, Bowers pleaded guilty to the charges in Grays Harbor County Superior Court after she initially pleaded not guilty. She had also previously been charged with one count of abandonment, but the charge was dropped as part of the plea deal.
The charges, which are both class B felonies, are not related to Oakley's disappearance.
Andrew Carlson, the father of Oakley, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment with a controlled substance on March 14.
Under the endangerment charges, Bowers and Andrew Carlson were accused of knowingly or intentionally permitting two of their 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 methamphetamine in their systems, suggesting they had either been exposed to the drug or may have ingested it.
Due to her past criminal history, Bowers faced a longer sentence than Andrew Carlson, who had no previous criminal history. He was released in August 2022.
Neither Andrew Carlson nor Bowers has 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. Bowers and Carlson were uncooperative, according to investigators.
During a search of the family’s home, police found toys and clothing for all kids, except Oakley. They also found blood on the blinds at home and the front door. Investigators searched the family’s 300-acre property but did not find Oakley.
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.