A 16-month-old boy drowned in a water-filled container on his mother’s front porch in Jacksonville, NC; she faces multiple charges including involuntary manslaughter
Mother Arrested After Toddler Drowns in Jacksonville
A North Carolina mother is in custody after her 16-month-old son drowned in a container of water on her front porch in Jacksonville.
According to a January 5 press release from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on December 11 at a home off Old Timber Road. The suspect is identified as 30-year-old Elizabeth Marie Holderness.
After a 911 call about a missing child, deputies found the toddler inside the container, unconscious. First responders took him to the Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, where he was pronounced dead.
On the same day and around the same time as the child’s death, Holderness is accused of “ingesting an illegal substance” for an extended period, according to the Charlotte Observer. She turned herself in on January 5.
It is unclear how the child got into the container.
Charges Against Holderness
Holderness faces several charges, including:
| Charge |
|---|
| Felony involuntary manslaughter |
| Felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury |
| Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (six counts) |
Search warrants indicate that at the time of the victim’s death, six children, aged between one and eight years old, were at the residence.
During court on Monday, she received a $75,000 unsecured bond. According to WITN First Alert, a judge granted the bond after Holderness requested a drug test, which returned negative.
