N.C. Toddler Was Found Submerged in Water Container on Front Porch — and Mom Is Charged By Nicole Acosta

A North Carolina mother turned herself in to authorities after allegedly killing her toddler, who investigators say was found submerged in a container of water on the woman’s front porch.

Elizabeth Marie Holderness, 30, 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, according to a statement shared by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, Jan. 5.

Deputies responded to a home in Jacksonville around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2025, after receiving a 911 call about a missing child. There, they found the 16-month-old boy inside the container filled with water on the front porch, per the statement.

Deputies and EMS attempted lifesaving measures before the boy was transported 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 alleged in the statement.

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While caring for the child, Holderness allegedly spent an extended period in a separate room using illegal substances, per arrest warrants cited by local station WCTI.

The sheriff’s office said she turned herself in to authorities on Monday.

During her first court appearance that same day, a judge ruled that Holderness be held on $75,000 unsecured bond, WCTI reported. It’s unclear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.