2 days ago
Woman, 49, killed in freak drowning accident after falling into RAIN BARREL outside her home
A North Carolina woman's autopsy revealed that she died by drowning after falling into a rain barrel on her property.
Karin Ottenberg, 49, was reported missing late last year after being last seen at around 10.30 am on on December 22.
Days later, Ottenberg was found dead at her home on Harrison street in Wilmington, according to a police spokesperson.
Ottenberg was allegedly found in an 'obscure location' that her family, friends and law enforcement had walked past, according to WECT.
She was discovered submerged in a rain barrel next to the back deck of her home.
'The barrel opening was approximately 18 inches, the height approximately 40 inches. The decedent's head was submerged and the water height in the barrel was approximately 18 inches,' reads the report.
The report states that Ottengerg's cause of death was asphyxia via drowning after the autopsy revealed pulmonary edema.
Pulmonary edema is a condition where there's an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs.
No foul play or suicide is suspected in the case, and it remains unclear how Ottenberg ended up inside the rain barrel.
Responders think she reached over the deck rail and down into the barrel for something when she fell in.
According to her obituary, Ottenberg was 'a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose warmth and kindness touched all who knew her'.
She graduated from New Hanover High School in 1993 and went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree from Cape Fear Community College, and then a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Ottenberg had many careers throughout her life. She worked as a waitress, an art teacher and a banker.
She found her true calling in horticulture and spent the majority of her professional life nurturing plants, flowers, bushes and trees.
Ottenberg had two children, Isabella and Bodey. The obituary states she cherished each moment she spent at Bodey's soccer games and celebrated Isabella's involvement with Surfers Healing.
She was an animal lover and opened her home to various creatures, from worms to cats, dogs and tadpoles.
Ottenberg's genuine affection extended beyond her family and pets, she also had a 'vast network of friends who adored her spirit and generosity,' according to her obituary.
The 49-year-old is survived by her mother, brother, children, uncles, stepmother and numerous special cousins, who 'held a dear place in her heart'.
