(CNN) Police say a body found in North Carolina has been preliminarily identified as 13-year-old Hania Aguilar, who was abducted outside her home three weeks ago.

"We are absolutely devastated. I wish we had a different outcome for Hania's family, for the community, and for the hundreds of law enforcement officers and searchers who put everything they had into finding her alive," said Lumberton Police Chief Michael McNeill in a statement.

Hania was taken outside her home in Lumberton on the morning of November 5, authorities said. The body was found Tuesday in water off Wire Grass Road in Robeson County, McNeill said. The final confirmation will be made using dental records.

"We believe we found Hania, but our work is far from over. We have to find out how she died and who did this to her. We have to bring the person responsible to justice," FBI Supervisory Resident Agent Andy de la Rocha said.

Authorities are seeking the public's help to determine when and how the body was left on Wire Grass Road, south of Lumberton and several miles from the girl's home. They asked those with surveillance cameras near Wire Grass Road to call the tip line at 910-272-5871.

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