JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Lonzie Barton's mom was sentenced to five years in prison Friday but the toddler's death is still an active investigation.
Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson points out there is no statute of limitations for a death investigation, so Lonna Lauramore Barton could face additional charges.
Lonzie Barton disappeared July 24, 2015. Ruben Ebron, Lauramore Barton’s boyfriend, led authorities to the body in Jan. 2016.
“There are ongoing matters involving the death of Lonzie Barton,” said Mantei. “And a lot of people want to speculate and guess and say that things ought to happen and all I can say is, look, I don’t want to jeopardize anything that might happen, and so I’m not going to get into it.”
“It’s not over,” said Carson. “They can still charge her with murder if they develop sufficient evidence to do so.”
Carson said since Ebron already pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, the new evidence won’t mean anything for him.
“For Ruben, it has no significance at all,” said Carson.
Lonna Lauramore Barton’s defense attorney said Lonzie Barton’s sister was in the car when Ruben Ebron dumped her little brother’s body in Bayard.
That’s just one major bombshell that came out during Lonzie’s mother’s sentencing Friday, the same day Assistant State Attorney Rich Mantei said Lonzie Barton’s death is still an active investigation.
Judge Mark Borello sentenced Lauramore Barton to the maximum sentence of five years in prison with credit for 169 days served. She will also have to pay court fees.
Lauramore Barton pleaded guilty to child neglect and lying to police.
“It’s clear that your actions and behavior in this case in no small part resulted in a death sentence for your son,” said Judge Borello.
Action News Jax asked Assistant State Attorney Rich Mantei if five years in prison for Lauramore Barton is justice for Lonzie.
“There is no way that you could say any term of years is ever justice for the death of an infant child, a helpless child,” said Mantei.
Lauramore Barton’s defense attorney Kevin Carlisle stuck with her story that Lonzie was alive when she went to work at Wacko’s Gentleman’s Club the night her boyfriend Ruben Ebron dumped her son’s body.
“He traumatized Ms. Barton’s daughter by bringing her daughter with him and making her ride in the car from Ravenwood Apartments out to Bayard with her dead brother,” said Carlisle.
Mantei said it’s Lauramore Barton’s fault her children met Ebron in the first place.
Carlisle also revealed his client faked her pregnancy in jail.
“She wanted Mr. Ebron to believe it because she thought that if he still had an emotional attachment to her, he would eventually tell her where Lonzie’s remains were,” said Carlisle.
Mantei said pictures of Lonzie on Ebron’s phone showed another major injury.
“On that phone, there documented a very serious abdominal bruise that the lone expert witness that testified in this case characterized as potentially deadly,” said Mantei.
Mantei said that expert witness testified the bruise could indicate internal bleeding.
Lauramore Barton has 30 days to appeal her sentence.
Action News Jax reporter Jenna Bourne was in the courtroom Friday and provided these minute-by-minute updates on her Twitter feed:
Mantei addressing Ebron's parents' claim #LonnaBarton was treated differently because she's white pic.twitter.com/xPLkBqX1FF
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Judge sentences #LonnaBarton to maximum sentence five years with credit for 169 days time served, plus fines #anjaxbreaking @ActionNewsJax.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: #LonnaBarton took Lonzie to doctor for sister pushing him down the stairs. Healing rib fractures may be related.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: #LonnaBarton and Ruben Ebron have different versions of what happened to Lonzie, neither can be disproved by evidence.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: The magnitude of the tragedy here is compounded by the inability to affix exact blame. #JusticeforLonzie
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: If it weren’t for #LonnaBarton, Lonzie would have never met Ruben Ebron
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: #LonnaBarton has acted in her own self-interest from the beginning
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei called #LonnaBarton pregnancy lie a “charade”
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantie: Autopsy showed Lonzie had 7 healing rib fractures. Defense objected, but judge overruled.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: Pics of Lonzie on Ebron’s phone showed serious abdominal wound that was potentially deadly, multiple visible injuries to head
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: #LonnaBarton cooperated with law enforcement not long before Ebron did.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei: #LonnaBarton is not candidate for probation because series of drug charges in Baker County while out on bond
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: Ruben Ebron traumatized Lonzie's sister by making her ride in car with him to dump her brother's body #anjaxbreaking
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: #LonnaBarton’s version of what happened can’t be contradicted by evidence
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney says #LonnaBarton cannot have any more children b/c of surgery she had after Lonzie was born
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: #LonnaBarton lied that we she was pregnant b/c she thought that would make Ebron tell her where Lonzie was #anjaxbreaking
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
#LonnaBarton's attorney says she had planned to take Lonzie to doctor the next day
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
#LonnaBarton's attorney says she bout fever reducer, eye drops and ear drops for Lonzie the day she went missing.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Court can impose max of 5 years in prison for #LonnaBarton #justiceforlonzie
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
No witnesses will testify on either side. #LonnaBarton's parents are here but will not testify. #justiceforlonzie @ActionNewsJax
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
#LonnaBarton entered the courtroom. She looked briefly at media and looked away. Wearing shackles on wrists and ankles #justiceforlonzie
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: #LonnaBarton lied that we she was pregnant b/c she thought that would make Ebron tell her where Lonzie was #anjaxbreaking
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: Ruben Ebron traumatized Lonzie's sister by making her ride in car with him to dump her brother's body #anjaxbreaking
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Defense attorney: #LonnaBarton took Lonzie to doctor for sister pushing him down the stairs. Healing rib fractures may be related.
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
Mantei addressing Ebron's parents' claim #LonnaBarton was treated differently because she's white pic.twitter.com/xPLkBqX1FF
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) March 4, 2016
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