Posted on 08/31/2010 6:57:40 PM PDT by traumer
The badly decomposed body of a woman found in a chimney flue has been identified as a local doctor, authorities said Monday.
Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac had been missing since last week, a day after she went to the house of a man whom she had been dating, Bakersfield police Sgt. Mary DeGeare said. Kotarac went to the mans house in the 4300 block of La Mirada Drive Wednesday evening and was reported missing by her office staff Thursday morning, DeGeare said.
DeGeare said she wasnt sure what the status of the relationship was whether they had been broken up or not when Kotarac went to the house. The man, however, didnt want to see her and left the home unnoticed to avoid a confrontation as she tried to force her way inside. DeGeare did not release the mans name, but the resident of that house is listed as William Moodie and neighbors confirmed that was the name of the man living there.
On Saturday, a woman at the house noticed a bad odor, DeGeare said. The woman, who was checking on the fish tank, investigated and saw fluids in the fireplace. She got a flashlight and looked up the flue and realized there was a body stuck there, DeGeare said.
Bakersfield firefighters spent five hours dismantling the chimney and flue from the outside of the home from Saturday to early Sunday to get to the body, DeGeare said. Detectives initially investigated the death as suspicious, but police said Monday that all the evidence indicates Kotarac voluntarily went to the roof, removed the chimney cap and slid down the flue feet first.
(Excerpt) Read more at bakersfield.com ...
Yes she was. Right till the very end.
There are few things more comforting than a roaring fire on a cold winter's night. That roaring fire, however, can easily turn to raging disaster without proper maintenance of your fireplace and chimney. According to the National Fire Protection Association, chimneys and fireplaces should be inspected for a buildup of the combustible substance called creosote and other fire hazards at least once a year. With the safety of your family and home at stake, you won't want to hire just anyone to clean your chimney. Careful consideration and research should be applied when searching for qualified chimney sweeps in your area.
A friend feeding the fish smelled her and saw “wet stuff” in the chimney. Cause of death: Suffocation due to compression of the chest.
Finally, a nice comment. From her photo she was a real cutie, perhaps she was overconfident of her athletic abilities, that plus some booze, would have led to a horrible error in judgement. RIP
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