Toddler tragedy: Mother charged after child found submerged in container on porch

A 16-month-old boy was found “submerged in water inside a container” left on the front porch of a North Carolina home, according to authorities.

Toddler tragedy: Mother charged after child found submerged in container on porch (WCTI)

The child’s mother was arrested in connection to the case “following an extensive investigation.”

The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday said Elizabeth Marie Holderness, 30, of Jacksonville, surrendered to authorities. She was charged with the following:

• Felony involuntary manslaughter
• Felony negligent child abuse — serious bodily injury
• Six misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile

The sheriff’s office said deputies responded to a 911 call about a missing child on December 11 around 4:30 p.m.

“Shortly after deputies arrived, they found a 16-month-old boy unconscious and submerged in water inside a container on the front porch of the home,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

First responders “immediately initiated lifesaving measures” before the boy was taken to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune. The child was later pronounced dead.

The sheriff’s office said “it was determined that negligence from the child’s mother was a contributing factor in the juvenile’s death.”

According to arrest warrants, investigators determined the child’s mother showed reckless disregard for human life. Warrants alleged she willfully ingested an illegal substance in a separate room for an extended period of time while the child was in her care.

Holderness received a $75,000 unsecured bond after her first court appearance on Monday in Onslow County District Court. She bonded out later Monday afternoon.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: WCTI contributed to this report.