For the tenth time since being declared missing in December 2021, a gathering to advocate for missing 6-year-old Oakley Carlson commenced on Friday, Feb. 10. However, it held a different impact and message than what many community members in Grays Harbor have experienced.
More than 50 people congregated on the north steps of the Legislative Building in Olympia to rally in support of H.B. 1397, also known as the Oakley Carlson Act. Despite cold bitter winds for the duration of the event and in contrast to the highly energetic chants from previous gatherings, supporters stood silently in unison with each other for more than an hour holding signs with pleas of passing the proposed legislation as congresspeople and staffers could be seen walking past them.
The gathering marked two years since the missing Oakville girl was last seen via a credible sighting according to the records of the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office. Oakley was returned to her biological parents, Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers, before she vanished in February 2021.
Erik and Jamie Jo Hiles, Oakley’s foster parents, stood front and center of the large swath of people they expressed their appreciation of the community’s continued support to highlight Oakley’s story.
“You can’t really measure it with words because it’s time and time again that these people show up whether it’s raining or snowing or whatever. We wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing without them,” Jamie Jo said.
19th Legislative District Rep. Jim Walsh, who wrote and introduced H.B. 1397 into the Washington Legislative in January, stood nearby the group of supporters. He noted that silent gatherings such as the one that took place at the Capitol have a bigger impact than people can imagine compared to loud vocal demonstrations.
H.B. 1397 is scheduled for public comment before the House Committee on Human Services on Friday, Feb. 17 when Jamie Jo will give her testimony on the matter. Supporters of the proposed legislation say that H.B. 1397 would help safeguard kids when they get reunited with their birth families in cases where the birth parents originally lost custody based on abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
While a lot of public attention regarding the disappearance of Oakley has been centered on Carlson and Bowers, who remain prime suspects in the vanishing of their biological daughter, the presence of H.B. 1397 has drawn more public scrutiny of Washington’s government.
A full-page advertisement was published in the Feb. 10 edition of The Olympian accusing Democratic Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) of ‘silencing’ Oakley’s case. The Hiles believe the combined efforts of the community and putting pressure on the government to be held accountable is the progress that’s needed.
“I think that with the people who have been supporting us and constantly sharing Oakley’s story, that’s progress,” Jamie Jo said. “We’re holding people accountable, I know that’s uncomfortable, but passing this bill is one of those steps forward of ownership and accountability of changing this so it doesn’t happen again.”
Contact Reporter Allen Leister at 360-463-3572 or allen.leister@thedailyworld.com
While much of the public attention in the last 14 months has focused on Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers, the biological parents and prime suspects in the disappearance of Oakley, increasing pressure has been mounted on government officials, most notably against the Department of Children, Youth and Families. (Photo Courtesy of Jamie Jo Hiles)
