UPDATE:

The dead woman has been identified as Karen Lee Pedersen, 45, and the cause of her death has not yet been determined.

(Early reports stated it appeared to be a death by natural causes, but the Medical Examiners and Seattle Police are still investigating.)

WHEEEL and the Women in Black will stand vigil for Pedersen from noon till 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov 9, outside the Seattle Justice Center at 5th Avenue and Cherry Street downtown.

At least 20 homeless people have died outdoors or by violence in 2011, and Ballard has been particularly hard-hit. Four homeless people have died in Ballard since the start of the year.

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Original article:

A body of a woman was found on Wednesday morning near the Ballard Locks.

The body appears to be that of a transient woman in her forties and was found on West Commodore Way, across from the Ballard Locks.

"Yesterday we were called to the scene of a transient camp that was about 50 feet away from the train tracks located along West Commodore Way," said Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore. "The female was dead when we arrived."

The death appears to be due to natural causes.

Moore said that Seattle Police are investigating and the King County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.

Earlier this year, another transient died near the Ballard Locks due to hypothermia.