Missing boy’s death in container of water was involuntary manslaughter, NC cops say

The discovery of a missing toddler in a container of water has led to his mom being charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

Elizabeth Marie Holderness, 30, turned herself in on Monday, Jan. 5, and is being held without bond until her first court appearance, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said in a Jan. 5 news release.

Holderness is accused of spending an extended period “ingesting an illegal substance” around the time of the boy’s death, court documents state.

“Around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025, deputies responded to a 911 call about a missing child (on) Old Timber Road in Jacksonville,” the sheriff’s office said.

“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 juvenile was transported to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, where he was later pronounced deceased.”

Investigators determined negligence contributed to the boy’s death, but did not release details of how he ended up in the container of water.

Holderness has been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and six misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, officials said.

Jacksonville is about a 120-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Missing boy’s death in container of water was involuntary manslaughter, NC cops say."