On December 22, 2022, emergency responders were called to an apartment at 123 Zack Circle, Apt. B, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, for a report of a four-month-old child having trouble breathing. The child was found unresponsive, and despite life-saving measures performed by Jacksonville Fire and Emergency Services, Onslow County EMS, and Jacksonville Police, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. The child's father, Christian Mark McGill, a 23-year-old active-duty Marine Lance Corporal, was subsequently arrested on December 31, 2022, and charged with an open count of murder. He was held in the Onslow County Jail under no bond. The official cause of death was listed as unknown and manner of death as undetermined. The investigation involved the Jacksonville Police Department, the District Attorney's Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
All three documents identify Christian Mark McGill as the victim's father. The ME report (NC_22_221.pdf) states: "The father, Christian Mark McGill, an active-duty Marine, was later arrested and charged in connection with the infant's death." The NBC News article confirms he was "charged with an open count of murder." The WITN article likewise states: "Officers arrested the victim's father, Christian Mark McGill."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The NBC News article states: "Christian Mark McGill, 23, who is the father of the 4-month-old, was charged with an open count of murder and processed into the Onslow County jail under no bond." The WITN article confirms: "McGill is currently being held in the Onslow County Jail under no bond." The ME report also notes: "The father, Christian Mark McGill, an active-duty Marine, was later arrested and charged in connection with the infant's death."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
There is a notable discrepancy between the official manner of death and the criminal charges. The ME report (NC_22_221.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Unknown" and manner of death as "Undetermined," yet the father was charged with an open count of murder. Additionally, because the father is an active-duty Marine Lance Corporal, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is jointly involved in the investigation alongside local law enforcement and the DA's Office, making this a dual-jurisdiction investigation. The NBC News article confirms his rank: "McGill, who is an Active-Duty Marine Lance Corporal, was arrested on Friday in connection with a murder investigation."
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