GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, Wash. — Editor's note: A previous version of this story said a writ of habeas corpus was filed with the Attorney General's Office in an attempt to keep Andrew Carlson from getting out of jail. The AG later commented that a writ of habeas corpus was not filed with their office.
Andrew Carlson, the father of missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, was released from Grays Harbor County jail early Wednesday morning. He has been behind bars since December 2021 on charges unrelated to his daughter’s disappearance.
Oakley Carlson was last seen alive in February 2021, according to Grays Harbor detectives.
Andrew Carlson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of endangerment with a controlled substance for exposing children to methamphetamine and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He had no previous criminal history, which made him eligible for early release.
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.
In addition to 12 months in prison, Judge Katherine Svoboda said in March that 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.
Additionally, Andrew Carlson is not allowed to have any firearms or unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, with the exception of his biological children, pending dependency court hearings.
Jordan Bowers, Oakley’s mother, was sentenced to 20 months in prison in April for two charges of child endangerment with a controlled substance. Bowers pleaded guilty to the charges in Grays Harbor County Superior Court after she initially pleaded not guilty.
Bowers 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. Due to her past criminal history, Bowers faced a longer sentence than Andrew Carlson. She is due to be released from jail in January 2023.
Neither Andrew Carlson nor Bowers have been charged in relation to Oakley’s disappearance. She was last seen alive on Feb. 10, 2021.
Grays Harbor County Undersheriff Brad Johansson said Andrew Carlson was interviewed on Tuesday by Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office detectives and a FBI special agent but “did not provide any information that would assist in locating [Oakley] Carlson.” Johansson said Andrew Carlson and Bowers remain persons of interest in the case.
“Detectives are still trying to prove what happened to Oakley Carlson,” Johansson said. “The answers to this question would more than likely lead to criminal charges for those responsible.”
Jamie Jo Hiles, Oakley’s former foster mom, has been fighting for justice in Oakley’s case. Oakley was sent to live with Erik and Jamie Jo Hiles for more than two years before being returned to her birth parents in November 2019.
“We were mom and dad,” said Jamie Jo Hiles. “We, you know, read to her, we sang to her, we did all the adventures with her.”
The couple said they feared for Oakley’s safety when she went back to live with her birth parents.
“Oakley had come home from a visit once telling us that she had witnessed violence at an unsupervised visit,” Hiles said. “I let the social worker know. Unfortunately, nothing came of that. So, here we are today.”
The couple said they reported that incident to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
Jamie Jo Hiles told KING 5 Wednesday that her thoughts are with Oakley and the other victims in this case.
“I’m hurt for her siblings because that’s a lot of trauma, and the time that Jordan and Andrew are going to serve in jail and prison is so short in comparison to the lifelong trauma that these kids are going to feel,” Jamie Jo Hiles said Wednesday. “That’s where I’m angry, and that’s where I don’t think that Andrew should have gotten out today.”
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.
But the Hiles’ are not giving up the fight to find Oakley.
“Who else is going to fight for her? I don’t see any other family here for her except for my family and our family," Jamie Jo Hiles said. "Who’s going to advocate for this little girl if we’re not doing it?"
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.