Overview
- Deputies responding to a Dec. 11 911 call in Jacksonville found a 16-month-old boy unconscious in a container of water on the home's front porch, and he was later pronounced dead at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune.
- The Onslow County Sheriff's Office said a subsequent investigation determined the mother's negligence contributed to the child's death.
- Elizabeth Marie Holderness, 30, is charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony negligent child abuse causing serious bodily injury, and six misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
- Authorities said Holderness surrendered to investigators and appeared in court; arrest warrants cited by WCTI allege she used an illegal substance in a separate room for an extended period while responsible for the child.
- WCTI reports she received a $75,000 unsecured bond and was released Monday, though another outlet earlier reported she was held without bond, and the case remains open.