Oakley Carlson Act gathering to occur Friday, Feb. 10, at WA Capitol

CORRECTION: This gathering occurred Feb. 10. A previous version of this story incorrectly said Feb. 17.

This Friday, Feb. 10, a “silent gathering” will be held at the state Capitol Campus in Olympia to show support for House Bill 1397, also known as the “Oakley Carlson Act,” a bill designed to “improve the operations and oversight of Washington’s child welfare system.”

The legislation was formally introduced into the Washington Legislature by 19th District Rep. Jim Walsh, who will be in attendance for the gathering. The gathering also will be the 10th held by regional residents who are demanding to know what happened to 6-year-old Oakley Carlson, who disappeared from Oakville in 2021.

The date of the gathering holds significance because it will mark the second anniversary since the last “credible sighting” of Oakley, according to records from the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office.

Light the Way Missing Persons Advocacy Project, the organization promoting and leading the gathering, said the rally is meant to show unified community support for making changes in child welfare policies.

“We will be gathering silently on the two-year anniversary of Oakley Carlson’s last known credible sighting to express the importance of passing HB 1397 for the children of Washington,” said Shayna Richard, the founder of Light the Way Missing Persons Advocacy Project, via Facebook. “This bill will allow foster children to take their voices back after Oakley’s voice was tragically ripped away.”

HB 1397, if passed, could provide reforms to Washington’s biggest child welfare agency, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The agency has seen much public scrutiny in its handling of reunifying Oakley with her birth parents – Andrew Carlson and Jordan Bowers – who remain suspects in Oakley’s disappearance.

The event will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 at the north steps of the Legislative Building in Olympia.

This story was originally published February 13, 2023 at 2:19 PM.