Lonzie's mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton, sentenced to 5 years in prison

Eight months after toddler Lonzie Barton went missing and two months after his remains were found under a tire in rural Jacksonville, the little boy's mother stood mute before Circuit Judge Mark Borello and learned she would spend five years in prison.

Borello sentenced Lonna Lauramore Barton, 26, to the maximum allowable prison term after she pleaded guilty to one count each of child neglect and lying to police. As part of her plea, she agreed to testify against former boyfriend William Ruben Ebron Jr., 32, but that became unnecessary when Ebron confessed and told police where Lonzie's body was hidden.

Borello said the sentence was justified because Lonzie would still be alive if not for the actions of Lauramore Barton.

Prosecutors said the case is still being investigated, and Lauramore Barton's lawyers likely prevented her from speaking at the sentencing hearing to make sure she didn't incriminate herself.

Lauramore Barton's attorneys have said she didn't know what happened to Lonzie and the child was alive when she went to work as a dancer at Wacko's on Emerson Street earlier in the day. But Ebron told prosecutors the child drowned in the bathtub while the couple had sex in another room and Lauramore Barton knew he was dead before leaving for work.

Kevin Carlisle, representing Lauramore Barton, reiterated Friday that Lonzie was alive and in the back seat of Ebron's car when he dropped her off at work. Carlisle said Ebron was lying about her involvement out of anger for her decision to take a plea and testify against him.

Lauramore Barton has never changed her story about what happened, unlike Ebron who has had multiple versions, Carlisle said.

Prosecutors have not said whether they believe Lauramore Barton or Ebron's account.

Assistant State Attorney Rich Mantei said there isn't enough evidence to say which one is telling the truth.

The cause of death for Lonzie was ruled inconclusive because his body had been outside decomposing for nearly six months before it was found. If prosecutors chose to charge Lauramore Barton with manslaughter, the only evidence they would have that she knew her child was dead is Ebron's word.

"It's not what you believe, it's what the evidence can prove," Mantei said after the sentencing hearing.

Carlisle also addressed rumors that Lauramore Barton was pregnant with Ebron's child. He said when those rumors began, Lauramore Barton deliberately encouraged them so Ebron would keep speaking to her and she could give that information to police.

In reality, Lauramore Barton had a tubal ligation procedure done after Lonzie was born to prevent her from having more children, Carlisle said.

He said she should only get one year in prison because she cooperated with police and essentially lost all of her children because authorities have taken away custody of her two surviving kids.

Mantei, while agreeing that Lauramore Barton cooperated, said a longer prison sentence was justified.

Lonzie clearly was abused before the day he died and Lauramore Barton never sought medical attention. She also allowed Ebron, a known drug dealer, into her child's life, Mantei said.

Lonzie had a bruise on his abdomen that an expert believed could have been life-threatening, and he also had injuries to his head and several broken ribs that were healing, Mantei said.

Even when Lauramore Barton cooperated, she didn't volunteer this information.

Prosecutors learned that from talking with other witnesses and pulling up pictures that Ebron had attempted to delete from his cellphone and had to bring it up to Lauramore Barton, Mantei said.

"This defendant has acted in her own self-interest from the moment this case began," Mantei said. "But if not for this defendant, that child would have never met Ruben Ebron."

Ebron hid Lonzie south of downtown Jacksonville near Bayard in July. The body was not found until Ebron led police to the remains in January.

Ebron pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced in Feburary to 20 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

His parents, William Ruben Ebron Sr. and Wanda Ebron, attended Friday's sentencing and were adamant afterward that Lauramore Barton's sentence was not equal justice.

"It think she knows more than she's saying," Ebron Sr. said. "I think she had more involvement."

Wanda Ebron pointed to race and said Lauramore Barton, who is white, got an "all-American exception" because she was an attractive blonde, white woman while her son is a black man who doesn't get the benefit of the doubt.

Prosecutors had already spoken with media before the parents' comments, but Mantei came back to the media a second time after hearing what the parents had said.

"These are the same folks who stated their child was innocent right up until he pleaded guilty," Mantei said. "This has nothing to do with the race of either of them."

The evidence showed Ebron was guilty of manslaughter and Ebron waived his right to a trial and pleaded guilty. The evidence is not strong enough right now to prove that Lauramore Barton is guilty of manslaughter, Mantei said.

Lauramore Barton met Ebron when she was a stripper at Wacko's, and Ebron was known as someone who could supply drugs to the women. They began a romantic relationship that appeared to be focused on drugs.

Lauramore Barton still faces drug charges in Baker County. After she was originally arrested on the child-neglect charges, Lauramore Barton got out on bail. Then she, estranged husband Christopher Barton and Shawn Hall were arrested on drug charges the same day the couple were in court seeking separate custody of their daughter.

Hall later died of a drug overdose after bonding out of jail.

Larry Hannan: (904) 359-4470