The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Payton Brazell Smith, age 16, a child in foster care who went missing from Junction City on April 9. She is believed to be in danger.
ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find her and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.
Payton is suspected to be in Portland, Junction City, The Dalles or Tillamook.
Name: Payton Brazell Smith
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Dec. 27, 2005
Height: 5-foot-6
Weight: 145 pounds
Eye color: Green
Hair: Black, with blue and other colors
Payton has two nose piercings, a tattoo on her right inner arm that says “Hati,” and a tattoo of a heart on her left upper arm. Payton may be wearing a small black backpack, black Vans shoes with a blue butterfly on them and a grey hoodie sweatshirt that says “Junction City.”
Junction City Police Department Case #J202200295
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #1447670
Anyone who suspects they have information about Payton’s location should call 911 or local law enforcement.
A small number of children in foster care may be in significant danger when they run away or have gone missing. As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and ensure their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.
Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.
