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Body of missing Schaumburg woman ID'd in Hawaii

The body of a Schaumburg woman who went missing while hiking on the island of Hawaii in late January was positively identified Thursday.

Kelly Mrowinski, 28, died as a result of an accidental "fresh water drowning," according to an autopsy performed by the local medical examiner's office, authorities said.

Mrowinski, a traveling nurse, was swept into the Wailuku River in Hilo by an apparent flash flood on Jan. 26.

A body believed to be hers was found in the river Sunday, but identification and determination of a cause of death were made more difficult by its state of decomposition, Hawaii Police Department officials said.

Mrowinski, who attended Schaumburg High School from 2004 to 2007, was hiking with a male companion near the Piihonua Falls when both were swept away by the fast-moving floodwaters. The man made it to shore.

Mrowinski was an employee of San Diego-based Aya Healthcare, which sets up short-term work contracts that allow its nurses to travel.

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