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Missing Persons

Search for Oregon woman, 20, suspended after volunteers scour thousands of acres to no avail

By Nicole Darrah Fox News
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Authorities in Oregon have suspended their search for a woman who disappeared earlier this month after going on a hike.

Allyson Watterson, 20, was reported missing on Dec. 22, roughly 30 hours after she was last seen hiking in a wooded area near North Plains with her boyfriend, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Her family hadn't heard from her since Dec. 20.

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Allyson Watterson, 20, was last seen near North Plains, Ore., on Dec. 22, according to officials.

Allyson Watterson, 20, was last seen near North Plains, Ore., on Dec. 22, according to officials. (Washington County Sheriff's Office)

Watterson and her boyfriend, Benjamin Hunter Garland, became separated during their hike and he was able to find his way out of the area. He was arrested on Dec. 23 but for something unrelated to his girlfriend's disappearance, officials said.

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Investigators quickly began to search for Watterson, with more than 30 search-and-rescue personnel and 70 volunteers scouring the area where she was last seen.

But on Saturday night, the sheriff's office suspended the active search after they spent hours searching roughly 1,600 acres of land, KPTV reported. Authorities said they've exhausted every possible avenue and have used drones, dogs, and volunteers to try to find her.

Watterson's mother, Misty, told the news outlet that they're grateful for those who have helped and despite the suspended search, her loved ones "will always search."

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"Allyson, I will never stop looking for you," she said. "Never, I'll never stop. And I would like to ask everyone else to not stop looking either. She's a very special girl and she deserves to be looked for."

Anyone with information on Watterson's whereabouts is urged to contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 503-846-2700.

Fox News' Lucia I. Suarez Sang contributed to this report.