A missing Porter County woman was found dead near the Little Calumet River in Lake Station Thursday morning.

An independent search team around 10:30 a.m. found the body of a 48-year-old woman in the vicinity of 2100 Cass St., according to a Case Files Chicago release. The woman had been reported missing on Dec. 18.

The woman was last seen around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Palmer’s Paving, 2735 Cass St., according to social media posts by her family and friends. She parked her 2012 blue Nissan Rogue at the business but was told it was private property and needed to leave, so she took off running north into the woods, according to the posts.

Family and friends described her as “confused and not herself” in posts throughout the week she was missing.

Family members were at the scene late Thursday morning to assist the Lake County coroner with identification, Case Files Chicago said.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.