Found Deceased NC - Karin Ottenberg, 49, mom of 2, vehicle, phone & purse were found at her home in Sunset Park nbhd, Wilmington, 22 Dec 2024

[Carovb5]

Oh no, was just watching WECT local news and it was announced that Ottenberg was found dead at her house.

She was missing from AND found in her house? Hope the kids didn’t find her!!

 

[Bostongirl]

These sort of cases always confuse me. Would it not be part of the normal police procedure to check the home thoroughly when someone goes missing? It’s happened in other cases where the person was found a few days later deceased in the house. Maybe it’s because I am a websleuther but I would know to search everywhere inside so I would know she wasn’t there! Moo

 

[lonetraveler]

These sort of cases always confuse me. Would it not be part of the normal police procedure to check the home thoroughly when someone goes missing? It’s happened in other cases where the person was found a few days later deceased in the house. Maybe it’s because I am a websleuther but I would know to search everywhere inside so I would.

Yes, I have at least a dozen questions. Of course it's always dangerous handing off children to another parent at Christmas time, I wonder if she had her car keys with her and just ran in the house to get something. Hoping to hear more on the later news.

 

[lonetraveler]

Wilmington woman found dead after missing

Anyone with information is asked to call 910-343-3609.

www.wect.com

No foul play ??

 

[lonetraveler]

Confusing. So her husband dropped off the kids. Then where were they when she became missing?

Never mind, the article said that when he came to drop off the kids, it was discovered missing.

 

[cocomod]

Wilmington woman found dead after missing

Anyone with information is asked to call 910-343-3609.

www.wect.com

dead inside her home

How many days did it take to find her dead inside her home? This is strange. Where inside of her home was she found?

 

[nightowl1975]

Bizarre. If no foul play is suspected, that doesn’t leave a lot of options. Suicide, accident, sudden death. Maybe she went into the attic for Christmas decorations? Had a heart attack or some sort of fatal accident? Suicide in a closet or otherwise obscure area of the home? It seems odd that the home clearly wasn’t searched thoroughly when she was reported missing. That should be standard, or I would think so anyway.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Bizarre. If no foul play is suspected, that doesn’t leave a lot of options. Suicide, accident, sudden death. Maybe she went into the attic for Christmas decorations? Had a heart attack or some sort of fatal accident? Suicide in a closet or otherwise obscure area of the home? It seems odd that the home clearly wasn’t searched thoroughly when she was reported missing. That should be standard, or I would think so anyway.

I agree and I don't know if there is some reason they don't seem to do that in many cases, but perhaps the police were told "I looked everywhere in the house etc..." and didn't look inside until they got the ring video camera from across the street showing she never left or something like that.

 

[kaen]

I am sad about the outcome of this case. I wonder if the home was not searched because she is an adult and can be voluntarily missing. I also wonder if the length of time of her missing made for police to then search the home. So sad that she may have been there this long or that she may have had an emergency on that day and been in need of rescue. I am not sure we will here what happened. But, today two children are in mourning as are those who loved her as a friend or family member. RIP!

 

[truthfinder2019]

Really weird because her mother gave an interview just in front of the said house.

Video

www.facebook.com

What could be the quoting “obscure location”

 

[LaylaD]

Wilmington woman found dead after missing

Anyone with information is asked to call 910-343-3609.

www.wect.com

No foul play ??

Not according to the article.
“Wilmington Police told WECT news that Ottenburg was in an obscure location that family, friends and law enforcement walked past.”

 

[lonetraveler]

Not according to the article.
“Wilmington Police told WECT news that Ottenburg was in an obscure location that family, friends and law enforcement walked past.”

Next to last sentence in that article states: No foul play suspected.

 

[lonetraveler]

Really weird because her mother gave an interview just in front of the said house.

Video

www.facebook.com

What could be the quoting “obscure location”

Yes, I wonder too. Most of the homes in Sunset Park are small.

 

[ILM67]

Very peculiar. The WPD report indicates the family reported her missing at 7:22pm, last seen at 10am, according to news reports: last text at 2pm, ex finds the home empty at roughly 3pm but 4+ hours go by without PD being called? The initial indicators would raise a red flag of a potential kidnapping and one would think change gears in an investigation.

About this finding her body in what they called "an obscure location" on the property. I am very familiar with that area of the town having had friends formerly live on that exact street and block. The homes and yards are pretty small. I am wondering if a K-9 was brought in that evening? One other interesting point. Another female was found dead about a quarter of a mile away on a parallel street on the 25th. I found that report when I checked the Police P2C Reports for this case.

 

[Gemmie]

Not according to the article.
“Wilmington Police told WECT news that Ottenburg was in an obscure location that family, friends and law enforcement walked past.”

Walked past, or walked under? I found her home and it's only 882 SF. Not big at all to miss a deceased person. Unless she was in the attic, which her house has, which is why I asked "walked past or under?".

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

So unfortunate. Tried to peruse the articles on the nature of the house. I wonder if it might have a crawl space, basement (or maybe an attic?) that might have some relevance to the obscure? My mind also went to an outdoor garden or well after thinking further. MOO

 

[nightowl1975]

Walked past, or walked under? I found her home and it's only 882 SF. Not big at all to miss a deceased person. Unless she was in the attic, which her house has, which is why I asked "walked past or under?".

Or perhaps a coat closet? One that’s not used often? Is there a basement/cellar? I’m also struggling to think of a house of any size, much less 800 sq ft, where a dead body goes unnoticed for multiple days over Christmas knowing she is missing.

 

[SunSun]

I'd guess the children were not left in the home when it was discovered their mother was missing.

 

[Gemmie]

Or perhaps a coat closet? One that’s not used often? Is there a basement/cellar? I’m also struggling to think of a house of any size, much less 800 sq ft, where a dead body goes unnoticed for multiple days over Christmas knowing she is missing.

I'd think they'd open every door/space that she could fit into, including looking under the beds or behind any furniture should a body be able to be concealed behind any. I can't imagine not looking in a closet. It would be a slipshod investigation IMO if they didn't do something as simple as that. The only other thing I can think of is outside of the house on the property somewhere, like a shed, covered well, etc. Basically anyplace a person her size would fit. And that would include inside barrels, suitcases, etc. JMO!

 

[jillolantern]

Wilmington woman found dead after missing

Anyone with information is asked to call 910-343-3609.

www.wect.com

"No foul play is suspected."

So that means what? Committed suicide or some weird accident?