WA's Oakley Carlson declared ‘legally dead’ 4 years after reported missing
Missing girl Oakley Carlson declared legally dead
Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been declared legally dead by a Pacific County judge nearly four years after she was reported missing from Grays Harbor County.
It's been almost four years since five-year-old Oakley Carlson was reported missing from Grays Harbor County.
Now, Pacific County Judge Donald Richter has declared her legally dead.
The change in status came after attorneys filed the petition on behalf of Oakley's three siblings and their guardians.
Oakley Carlson declared dead years after going missing
The backstory:
Oakley's foster mother, Jamie Jo Hiles, raised Oakley until she was forced by the State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to give her to biological parents, Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson, according to the Seattle law firm that reached out to her months ago.
She says they are preparing to file a lawsuit against DCYF — but she has declined to participate, saying she wants the focus to remain on honoring Oakley's life and on hold Bowers and Carlson accountable.
Neither has cooperated with detectives in the search for their missing daughter.
What they're saying:
Hiles did not know until recently that the petition had been signed on July 11.
On Monday, she shared her reaction on the Where is Oakley Carlson Facebook page, saying:
"Imagine being a parent and finding out from someone else that your child has been declared dead. The pain and shock of that moment are indescribable. No parent should ever have to experience that kind of disregard. This effort has been described as a way to hold dcyf accountable, but from where I stand it looks more like a pursuit of financial gain than a pursuit of justice."
Meanwhile, Grays Harbor County Sheriff's detectives say that declaring Oakley dead does not change their investigation.
What's next:
They are working with the prosecutor's office and considering charging Bowers and Carlson in a no-body homicide case.
No decisions have been made, but they are discussing it.
Bowers was released from prison on September 23 after serving time for fraud and identity theft.
Both she and Andrew Carlson served time for exposing Oakley's siblings to meth.
The attorney who filed the petition to have Oakley declared dead sent FOX 13 the following statement:
"As counsel for Bruce Wolf, guardian ad litem for Oakley Carlson’s siblings, we understand that recent news that Oakley has been declared legally deceased has raised concern and emotion in the community.
"As counsel for Oakley and her surviving siblings, we made the difficult decision to have Oakley declared deceased given the evidence we have reviewed thus far and the passage of time since she was reported missing. We made this decision in consultation and with the support of Oakley’s biological family. We want to clarify that the request to legally declare Oakley Carlson deceased also serves the purpose of obtaining critical records and information necessary to fulfill the obligations of Oakley’s Guardian to investigate and assess the physical abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse experienced by Oakley and her siblings while under the care and custody of the State of Washington. This legal step was not taken lightly and does not reflect a conclusion about the facts or outcome of any ongoing law enforcement investigations.
"In cases involving complex or uncertain circumstances, certain legal process are required in order to access sealed records, medical documentation, or other essential information that directly impacts the well-being and legal status of family members – especially vulnerable children. This action was one such procedural step and, importantly, occurred in an open, public court proceeding, not behind closed doors.
"We remain deeply mindful of the sensitive nature of this case and the grief and uncertainty it brings to the family and community. As this matter involves minors and ongoing proceedings, we are limited in what further information can be disclosed at this time.
"We appreciate the public’s understanding and continued concern for the children at the heart of this case."
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