GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, Wash. — Charges of abandonment have been filed against Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers, the parents of missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson.
The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that neither Carlson or Bowers gave Oakley’s older 6-year-old sister her medicine for nearly 15 months, the result of which could have killed her.
>>Search for Grays Harbor missing child continues, parents in custody
“They were barely responsible for themselves, let alone their children,” says Erik Hiles, Oakley’s former foster father.
Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles weren’t the least bit surprised to learn that abandonment charges have now been slapped against Carlson and Bowers.
“It just speaks to the nature of how they were as parents,” says Jamie Jo Hiles, Oakley’s former foster mother. “That’s pure neglect. Why if you know that this is a life-or-death situation, why would you even consider not giving that to your child.”
Oakley has been reported missing since the end of November. On Thursday a vigil was held for her outside Oakville elementary school.
I think that it just shows that we have a great sense of community,” says Erik Hiles. “We do live in a small community but the people in this area really get behind everybody else.”
Oakley’s birth parents are people of interest in this investigation and detectives say her parents haven’t said where Oakley might be or if she is with anybody else.
Crews have been searching nonstop for the little one and now with these new charges, Oakley’s foster parents wish the state would have listened to their concerns sooner.
“If somebody reaches out to you and say, ‘hey I’m concerned about this,’ then inspect it. See if it’s true,” says Jamie Jo Hiles.
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