A North Carolina mother has turned herself in after authorities say her toddler son was found dead in a container filled with water on the front porch of her home.
According to the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, 30-year-old Elizabeth Marie Holderness is facing multiple charges, including felony involuntary manslaughter, felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, and six misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
Deputies responded to a home in Jacksonville around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2025, after receiving a 911 call reporting a missing child. When officers arrived, they discovered the woman’s 16-month-old son submerged inside a container of water located on the front porch, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies and emergency medical crews immediately attempted life-saving measures before transporting the toddler to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, where he was later pronounced dead.
“Following a thorough investigation, it was determined that negligence from the child’s mother was a contributing factor in the juvenile’s death,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Investigators allege that while responsible for caring for the child, Holderness spent an extended period of time in another room using illegal substances, according to arrest warrants cited by local station WCTI.
Authorities confirmed that Holderness turned herself in on Monday, Jan. 5. During her initial court appearance later that day, a judge ordered her held on a $75,000 unsecured bond, WCTI reported. It remains unclear whether she has entered a plea or hired an attorney to speak on her behalf.
The investigation remains ongoing.
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or through childhelp.org. Calls are confidential and available in more than 170 languages.
Why are so many children being endangered?I really think parents spend too much time on social media.Too many jires scrolling