UPDATED: Thursday, January 8, 2009 --- 3:50 p.m.

A fund has been set up to aid in the search for missing Deerfield native Christine Walters.

The family has hired a private investigator to aid in their search and the fund will help pay for the investigation.

It has been set up through Deerfield Bank.

If you would like to contribute donations can be made in person or sent to

Deerfield Bank
c/o Christine Walters Fund
15 S. Main St.
p.o. box 85
Deerfield, WI 53531

The 23 year old has not been seen or heard from in 2 months after disappearing during a trip to California.

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UPDATED: Tuesday, January 6, 2009 --- 5:40 p.m.
REPORTER: Chris Woodard

An extended vacation turns into a missing person investigation and now a Deerfield family clings to hope.

It's been almost 2 months since anyone has seen or heard from 23 year old Christine Walters. But now the thought that their daughter would disappear to start a new life may be their best hope that she's still alive.

Pictures are the most Anita Walters has seen of her daughter in months. They were sent by Friends in Oregon from the last time they ever saw 23 year old Christine.

Anita says, "She called all the time. Sometimes she called three times a day just to tell us her experiences and finally it just stopped, no calls."

Christine went missing during a trip to the West coast in early November.

The Deerfield native had been visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon when she decided to extend her stay and head south to Eureka, California.

Anita says, "She says mom I'm so glad you understand. I'm glad you're not mad."

Anita wasn't angry but now she fears the worst. Christine was last seen when she left for a walk through the woods. Her Friends in California say she left behind her backpack and all her belongings. No one's heard from her since.

Anita says, "For her to go this long I think something is wrong. I think something has happened."

Christine's father had also recently sent her 1-thousand dollars that still sits untouched in a bank account.

They say California police have said there's nothing more they can do and the parents are struggling to keep hope.

Anita says, "I even thought about what if she got hooked up with a cult out there and I don't even want to think about that either but it's possible."

With no leads and no word from her daughter she's hoping for a miracle.

Anita says, "One time a truck went by and I thought well maybe she hitchhiked home and I know it's a silly thought but there's always something, there's always a little spark of hope"

The family says what bothers them most is that they can't imagine Christine leaving all of her belongings behind. They're not giving up hope though. They've hired a private investigator to look for anything that may lead them to Christine.

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UPDATED Tuesday, January 6, 2009 --- 3:15 p.m.
By reporter Chris Woodard

It's been two months since anyone has seen or heard from 23-year-old Christine Walters. Her mother is holding on to hope that her missing daughter is still alive.

For this very close Deerfield family, it's hard to believe their daughter would just disappear... cut ties with her world... and start a new life. But right now, that may be their last hope that she is still alive.

The last time her family saw her was when she left for a trip to visit a friend in Portland, Oregon around the beginning of November.

They say she then decided to travel to the Eureka, California area. She cancelled her flight home and was spending time hiking and enjoying the small town.

She called her parents almost every day but around November 14th, the calls stopped. A friend says she went on a hike and never came back.

The same friend told her parents she left a backpack and all her belongings behind and her mom says they had given her $1,000 that is sitting in her savings account untouched.

Click HERE for MySpace account that was setup to find Christine Walters

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Posted Tuesday, January 6, 2009 --- 11:00 a.m.

NOTE: NBC15's Chris Woodard is interviewing Christine's mother today. Watch for his reports on NBC15 News at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Christine Walters is from Deerfield, Wisconsin. She attended UW-Stevens Point. She was last seen on November 11th. Her mother says Christine was visiting friends out west when she disappeared.

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From Eureka Times-Standard newspaper (in California):

Click HERE to read article

The Eureka Police Department is investigating the disappearance of Christine Walters, a 23-year-old woman.

According to EPD information, Walters has strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes. She stands 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs around 100 pounds.

After about 10 days of failing to contact family members, Walters' family reported her missing. Walters was last seen November 11th in Eureka. Authorities are asking for anyone with information regarding Walters to contact Police Services Officer Mary Anderson of the Criminal Investigation unit at 707-441-4300 or call the 24-hour dispatch number
at 707-441-4044