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Karin Ottenberg, 49, was last seen alive and well by her family on Dec. 22, 2024

Days later, she was found dead inside a rain barrel on her property

"The death of Mrs. Ottenberg was a tragic accident," a spokesperson for the Wilmington, N.C. police department said in a statement

The death of a North Carolina woman whose body was found in a rain barrel on her own property last year was a "tragic accident," according to officials.

Karin Ottenberg, 49, was last known to be alive and well on Dec. 22, 2024. However, when her child, who split time between his parents, was dropped off at her house later that same day, he couldn't find her.

"Other family looked and then the child went back with his father," stated the medical examiner's report, which was obtained by PEOPLE and c

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