Brianna R Judge.jpg

The Clatsop County Sheriff's Office has asked the public's help in finding a 23-year-old woman missing since Jan. 10. Brianna Judge, who is known to frequent the Beaverton, Portland and Astoria areas, was last seen leaving her home for a walk, and she never returned.

(Clatsop County Sheriff's Office Facebook page)

UPDATE: Deputies no longer searching for missing Clatsop County woman; investigation ongoing

The Clatsop County sheriff said investigators believe a pair of boots discovered Sunday belong to a missing 23-year-old woman.

Sheriff Tom Bergin has asked people helping to search along riverbanks for Brianna Judge to be careful after a woman discovered the boots on the edge of a bridge near Oregon 103 and Tweedle Road, he said. He added that friends and family confirmed the boots belonged to Judge, who was last seen Jan. 10.

For now, the Sheriff's Office continues to treat the case as a search and rescue instead of a body recovery, he said.

The Sheriff's Office searched near the bridge, which crosses the lower Nehalem River, and searchers did not find anything more of interest. After last week's weather, the river continues to take in snowmelt, which has made the banks and river flow dangerous, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"The Sheriff's Office will be working with local partners to conduct both air and river borne searches," according to the news release. "The Sheriff's Office cautions individuals to use extreme caution if they chose to search along the riverbank."

Once the rivers lower a little more, possibly by Tuesday, Bergin said he'll send out jet boats to help in the search.

Judge was last seen leaving her home in Jewell around 9 p.m. on Jan. 10., according to the Sheriff's Office and a Facebook page dedicated to information about her disappearance. Officials and family say she left her home for a walk near the rural towns of Elsie and Jewell, and she never returned.

She's described as having a thin build with blue eyes and short brown hair cut just below the ear. Judge, who stand at 5 feet 3 inches, was last seen wearing a red/maroon oversized sweatshirt, faded blue jeans and calf-high hiking boots.

Anyone with information about Judge is asked to call 503-325-2061.

-- Tony Hernandez

thernandez@oregonian.com

503-294-5928

@tonyhreports

On Sunday, January 22, 2017 the Sheriff’s Office conducted a ground search in the Elsie Community for Brianna Judge. ... Posted by Clatsop County Sheriff's Office on Monday, January 23, 2017

The Sheriff's Office is still requesting assistance from the public in locating Brianna. Please review the attached... Posted by Clatsop County Sheriff's Office on Friday, January 20, 2017

This post was updated to include information from Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin.