Missing woman found dead in car at bottom of swamp, NC Highway Patrol says

The search for a missing 68-year-old woman came to a tragic conclusion when her body was found at the bottom of a Sampson County swamp, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Brenda Lamb Register lived in the nearby town of Turkey and had been reported missing a day earlier, officials said.

Her sunken car was discovered around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, about 4 miles northeast of Clinton, according to Trooper W.A. Davis. Only one person was found in the car, officials said.

“His investigation revealed that a 2012 Black, Kia Sorento was traveling north on (Old Warsaw Road) when it crossed the centerline, ran off the road to the left (and) traveled into the Beaverdam Swamp, where the vehicle became submerged,” the N.C. Highway Patrol said in a news release.

“The driver had been missing since (Tuesday) and a missing person’s report was filed with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office.“

Investigators said the car was on the shoulder before it reached the bridge, allowing it to avoid colliding with the concrete railings. It sank shortly after entering the water, a crash report stated.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Beaverdam Swamp is about a 70-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Missing woman found dead in car at bottom of swamp, NC Highway Patrol says."