The former foster parents of missing 6-year-old Oakville girl Oakley Carlson will hold a school supplies drive through the month of August in Oakley’s honor.
Oakley’s foster mother, Jamie Jo Hiles, announced the supply drive in an Oakley Carlson Facebook group on Friday.
“As a teacher, it breaks my heart when a student doesn’t have the means to be prepared for their school day, which can sometimes put them at a disadvantage,” Hiles wrote. “Our goal is to have new school supplies available for students before the first day of school.”
Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles raised Oakley for several years, starting when Oakley was a baby and ending when Oakley was reunited with her biological parents in November 2019, shortly before she turned 3. Oakley was reported missing in December 2021 at the age of 4.
“Buying school supplies is a passion of mine, so much so that I couldn’t wait for the day that we could take Oakley school supplies shopping,” Jamie Jo Hiles wrote. “Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to do this, since she left our care before the age of attending school.”
Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles held a book drive in Oakley’s honor last summer, which brought in over 800 books for various schools, day cares, doctor’s offices and foster care centers in the Oakville area.
Switching to a school supply drive this year, the Hiles have created an Amazon wishlist at https://amzn.to/3W5XH0q , where donors can select what items they want to purchase and have them delivered to Jamie Jo Hiles, who will sort the items and deliver them to local schools.
“There you will find various school supplies items for all age ranges, and many of the items are from school supplies lists posted by schools,” Jamie Jo Hiles said of the Amazon wishlist.
The Oakley Carlson Reward Fund, which reached $100,000 in March, will purchase $1,000 worth of school supplies for this drive, according to Jamie Jo Hiles.
The reward is for credible information that leads to Oakley’s whereabouts or for information that leads to the arrest of anyone involved in her disappearance.
The reward fund is managed by Light the Way Missing Persons Advocacy Project and expires Dec. 6, 2024.
In lieu of the reward not being claimed or extended, the funds would then be used at the discretion of Jamie Jo and Erik Hiles. Examples of possible uses include a funeral service and headstone if necessary, a college fund, a scholarship in Oakley’s name and a trust fund for Oakley’s siblings.
“As Oakley’s mama, I thank you for honoring her with me and keeping her name out there through acts of service that help everyone — this is how Oakley loved, by helping,” Jamie Jo Hiles wrote.
More information on Oakley’s case and opportunities to help with the search effort can be found at https://justiceforoakley.wixsite.com/home .
Anyone with information that could aid law enforcement in their search for Oakley is encouraged to contact the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office 360-249-3711 or sodetectives@graysharbor.us .
TIMELINE OF OAKLEY’S DISAPPEARANCE
Nov. 2019: Oakley leaves the care of her foster parents and returns to her biological parents Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers, according to King 5 News.
Feb. 10, 2021: The last time detectives with the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office can confirm Oakley was seen alive by someone other than her biological parents.
Nov. 6, 2021: A fire was reported at the Carlsons’ residence in Oakville just before 5 p.m. Andrew Carlson told dispatchers his 4-year-old (Oakley’s age at the time) had lit the couch on fire with a cigarette lighter and said he had put the fire out himself. Investigators later determined the fire most likely started in the microwave on the kitchen counter — not from the couch, as Carlson had claimed.
Nov. 30, 2021: The date Oakley’s parents claim they last saw Oakley.
Dec. 5, 2021: Oakville Elementary School Principal Jessica Swift contacts the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office with concerns about Oakley’s safety.
Dec. 6, 2021:
- Approximately 10 a.m.: An officer with the Tumwater Police Department initiates a welfare check for Oakley and interviews Oakley’s parents in their hotel room.
- 3:31 p.m.: An officer confirmed Bowers and Carlson left the hotel with their 2-year-old and returned to their Oakville residence.
- 5:10 p.m.: Bowers is booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail for allegedly obstructing an officer and on suspicion of manslaughter.
- 9:30 p.m.: Carlson is booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail on suspicion of manslaughter.
Dec. 9, 2021: The 72-hour hold on suspicion of manslaughter expires, and the case is closed. Bowers and Carlson remain in custody on unrelated child endangerment charges related to their other child. They were later convicted on those charges.
Dec. 13, 2021: Detectives complete their search of the Carlson family’s house and surrounding property.
Most Popular
Comments / 0