The Dad of the Missing Washington Girl, Oakley Carlson, I’m Sorry

Andrew Carlson (bottom right) pleaded guilty to child endangerment 13 months after his daughter Oakley (left) was last seen. Oakley’s mother Jordan (top right) will face similar charges at trial next month. (All images via Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office.)

Father of a The Washington girl has not been seen for more than 13 months pleaded guilty to endangering a child this week in the televised trial.

Andrew Carlson37, appeared via Zoom for a pretrial hearing in Port Grays . Superior Court on Monday, where he entered a Alford pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering a child with a controlled substance.

Port Grays . Deputy Prosecutor Jason Walker Last month, Carlson’s two children, ages 2 and 6, allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine.

“Mr. Carlson, instead of making a factual statement, you said that you believe this state has enough evidence to prove this case at trial and that to take advantage of the plea agreement, you want to plead guilty to counting two and three, is that correct?” asked Judge Katherine Svoboda during the proceedings.

“Yes,” said Carlson.

Alford supplication, named after the Supreme Court of the United States case North Carolina and Alford, which allows defendants to waive criminal charges — often in return for some punishment or lighter agreement — but does not confirm the underlying factual basis that led to the case. In general, the court must determine the factual basis for the allegations.from a source other than pleas. ”

Carlson said nothing else during the hearing and will now be sentenced on March 28.

Judges Katherine Svoboda (left) and Andrew Carlson (right) appear in a KING-TV/YouTube performance.

No mention on Monday of Carlson’s 5-year-old daughter Oakleywho has been missing for 13 months now.

Carlson and Oakley’s mother, Jordan Bowerswas detained at Grays . Harbor County Jail as of December 6, according to prisoner records.

Court documents details the events that led to their arrest for obstruction of law enforcement and first-degree manslaughter.

Jessica Swift, the principal of the local elementary school that Oakley’s 6-year-old sister attends, contacted the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office on December 5 asking for a welfare check on Oakley. She informed delegates that she had not seen the girl while visiting family and that Oakley’s sister had said the girl had returned to live with her adoptive parents. Swift has determined that to be false, according to court records.

Oakley was sent to live with adoptive parents when she was still an infant but returned to her biological parents at the end of 2019. It’s not clear why she got adopted, but records The court found that Carlson and Bowers were both charged with criminal offenses in the cases last month when Oakley was placed in foster care.

Law & Crime also obtained documents revealing that Oakley’s parents both filed for bankruptcy shortly after Bowers became pregnant.

After Swift requested a welfare check, police went to meet the family at a local motel, according to a news release oath filed by the Port of Grays Sheriff’s Office. The family was displaced due to a fire at their residence last month.

Bowers was not offered the same plea agreement as Carlson because of her criminal history (above).

Carlson testified that Oakley was staying with his parents, but his parents denied giving the girl to the police and later issued a handwritten statement revealing that they had not seen their niece since December of last year. 2020.

When the delegates returned to question Bowers and Carlson, they became uncooperative and were taken into custody. Carlson also announced his daughter was missing at the time, according to deputies.

The next day, the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents began searching the 300-acre ranch that Carlson bought with his ex-wife Amber for clues. The Sheriff’s Office also issued brief statement said they “considered the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance as suspicious.”

Furthermore, the statement confirms that Jordan Bowers and Andrew Carlson of Oakville “are considered persons of interest at this time.”

The search of Carlson’s ranch ultimately turned up no sign of the child, but it resulted in an additional charge against Carlson and Bowers.

“Detectives investigating the disappearance of 5-year-old Oakley Carlson have discovered information that parents Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers failed to provide prescription medication to their other 6-year-old daughter at the request of their 6-year-old daughter. doctor,” Grays Harbor Police Chief announced. Office. “The drug was withheld for about 15 months. The drug is essential to her physical well-being and puts her at risk for physical deterioration and possibly death.”

That charge came just as the couple was about to die as the manslaughter allegation was dismissed for lack of evidence.

In early February, both were charged two additional counts of endangering a controlled substance. Authorities learned that two children, ages 2 and 6, living in the home had taken or been exposed to methamphetamine after the Department of Children, Adolescents and Families tested the children’s hair follicles, according to the filing. court case.

Bowers also has a 10-year-old son from a previous relationship, while Carlson has a 13-year-old daughter with his ex-wife.

Although Carlson pleaded guilty to two counts of a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, he will be sentenced to no more than 12 months on each count. These sentences will also run concurrently, according to the judge.

Bowers, meanwhile, will be on trial next month on two similar charges along with the original count of abandonment of a second degree dependent, a Class C felony.

She did not receive the same plea agreement offer as Carlson because of her long list of convictions for crimes including domestic violence and illegal harassmentcourt documents revealed.

If convicted, she faces jail time, while Carlson’s sentence allows him to stay at the Grays Harbor County Jail.

Read some of the court filings below.

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