5-year-old girl disappears under suspicious circumstances; authorities detain the missing child's parents

A 5-year-old Washington state girl has gone missing amid suspicious circumstances, and authorities have detained her parents on suspicions of manslaughter in connection with her disappearance.

No charges have been filed against the parents at the time of this writing, KOMO-TV reports.

What are the details?

The Grays Harbor Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced that officials are seeking the whereabouts of 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, who they believe may be a victim of foul play.

Authorities are holding her parents, 32-year-old Jordan Bowers and 36-year-old Andrew Carlson, as persons of interest in their daughter's disappearance.

Grays Harbor Undersheriff Brad Johansson said that a judge has set bail for the couple at $150,000. The judge has given prosecutors until Friday to review evidence and determine whether charges will be filed.

“Based on the unusual circumstances of the missing child, not knowing her whereabouts and no one has seen her in several days and no one knows her condition, we felt that is in the best interest of the case,” Johansson said of the child's disappearance.

Investigators say that it is unclear at the time of this reporting when the child was last seen, prompting a "concerned citizen" to phone authorities to conduct a welfare check on Monday. Authorities said that they found no sign of the child on or around the family's 300-acre property, Newsweek reported.

“You can’t see a little girl like Oakley and not be emotionally involved in the case,” Johansson added. “We’re really concerned for her safety and her well-being and we just don’t know what that is at this point. We are definitely hoping and praying for the best outcome, but realistically we’re ready and fearing the worst as well.”

Authorities were able to locate Bowers and Carlson, but there was no sign of the child.

Image source: KING-TV video screenshot/Blaze Media composite

Both Bowers and Carlson said that they did not know the location of the child.

The child's former foster parents have also said that they haven't seen the child since November 2019, according to a report from KING-TV.

Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles, Oakley's foster parents from the time when she was 7 months old until just before her third birthday, previously said that the child would be in danger if she were handed over to her biological parents, who were both purportedly drug users.

"We told [Washington's Department of Children, Youth, and Families] several times this wasn't a safe decision," Jamie Jo said according to the Newsweek report. "We begged them — 'Please don't let her go back, please don't let her go back.'"

The Hiles family said they contacted DCYF in January and again around Thanksgiving to find out about the child's condition after learning of a fire that took place at the couple's home.

Bowers and Carlson reportedly did not call 911 to report the fire because they could not find their phones.

"If no one has seen her, what could have happened to her? Was it the fire? Was it something else?" Jamie Jo added. "I am so disappointed. What a failure of the state of Washington."

Anything else?

In a news release, the sheriff's office said, "Detectives and search and rescue workers are currently searching the residence and property of the child. The investigation is in its initial stages."

Bowers has previously been convicted of five felonies including drugs and theft.

The sheriff's office asked anyone who may have seen the child in the last year or have any information on her disappearance to call (360) 533-8765.