Missing Oregon Woman: Allyson Watterson's Parents Give New Interview After Police Suspend Search Efforts

On Dec. 23, Oregon native Allyson Watterson was reported missing. According to her boyfriend, Benjamin Garland, the two had become separated after hiking near Portland. Subsequently, a search ensued as law enforcement attempted to find the 20-year-old.

However, on Dec. 28, police suspended the active search, even though Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Tony Morris had previously shared that the search efforts had located some "some interesting items and clues."

Now, her parents, Misty and Alan Watterson, have spoken out after the decision was made to stop looking for their daughter.

According to KOIN6, her parents have vowed to never stop looking for their daughter. Described as "determined and straightforward" by the outlet, Misty shared what it had been like after hearing the news of her Allyson's disappearance.

"Well, it was like being pushed off a cliff, you know, of course I want her found and I was willing to sit there forever," she said.

Continuing, she later added, "You know, nobody prepares you on how to deal with this. There's not a class, there's not a manual, you don't get a lesson - how do you deal with it when your child goes missing."

According to Misty, the last time she saw Allyson in person was Dec. 20, but her daughter had told her on Dec. 21 that she was with her boyfriend and would be home shortly. This timeline matches up with what nearby residents independently reported. Someone who lives near Pumpkin Ridge Road stated that they had seen the couple in the area on Sunday afternoon.

Then, on the morning of Dec. 23, another person stated that they had found Benjamin sleeping in their truck on private property. By 5:30 p.m. that night, Benjamin's father, Don Garland, had reported Allyson missing. As reported by Oregon Live, Don stated that he and Benjamin had spent the day of Dec. 23 looking for Allyson before alerting police.

Since then, investigators have voiced concerns about a 30-hour delay between the last time she was seen and the time that she was ultimately reported missing.

Following Allyson's disappearance, Benjamin was arrested for unrelated charges, including identity theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He has also been accused of violating his probation, which stems from a 2017 case. At this time, he remains in the Washington County Jail. His next court date is set for Jan. 3.