This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson has been declared legally dead, as stated on the Washington Courts’ website.
Oakley’s foster mother, Jamie Jo Hiles, said she was unaware of her daughter’s status.
“I recently found out that our daughter, Oakley Carlson, was declared legally deceased more than a month ago in Pacific County by Judge Donald Richter,” Hiles wrote on Facebook Monday. “This was done quietly, without transparency or communication.”
Hiles emphasized she has been fighting to keep Oakley’s memory alive.
“Imagine being a parent and finding out from someone else that your child has been declared dead,” her post continued. “The pain and shock of that moment are indescribable. No parent should ever have to experience that kind of disregard.”
Hiles said that in May, Oakley’s biological family asked her to declare Oakley dead so her siblings could inherit her estate, but she declined, wanting to focus on justice in Oakley’s criminal case.
“While I care deeply about Oakley’s siblings and want them to have peace and stability, my focus has always been on justice for Oakley and the criminal case that still matters,” she wrote.
Hiles said the effort was described as a way to hold the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) accountable, but she believes it’s more about financial gain.
“If the people behind this truly care about honoring Oakley’s life, I invite them to join me in continuing her legacy through the nonprofit created in her name,” she wrote. “Together we can fight for children, for transparency, and for reform in the systems that failed her.”
Oakley Carlson’s biological mom released from prison
Oakley’s biological mother, Jordan Bowers, was released from prison last month after serving time for identity theft. However, she remains a person of interest in Oakley’s case, the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office announced.
Bowers pleaded guilty to identity theft and fraud in July 2023, KIRO 7 reported.
Bowers’ husband, Andrew Carlson, is also still a person of interest in Oakley’s case.
“We are working with the Grays Harbor County Prosecutor’s Office into potentially looking into a no-body homicide prosecution,” Jeremy Holmes, Chief of Special Services for the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office, told KIRO Newsradio.
In 2022, Bowers and her husband were arrested and convicted of child endangerment in a case unrelated to Oakley’s disappearance. The two exposed their other children to drugs, according to KIRO 7.
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