JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Ruben Ebron, the man who police consider the prime suspect in the disappearance of 21-month-old Lonzie Barton, has been charged with attempted escape from jail.
Ebron has also been charged with unlawful possession of concealed handcuff key, introduce or smuggle contraband into detention facility and criminal conspiracy, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office online Inmate Information Search.
He is also facing two previous charges of child neglect. The bond on these charges out of Duval County totals $112,517.
According to a JSO arrest report, an inmate told investigators Monday that Ebron had discussed a plan to escape from the Duval County Jail with him.
"Ebron showed the inmate a shaped orange piece of plastic that Ebron represented as a handcuff key," according to the report. Ebron concealed the piece of plastic in his upper lip and his sock.
Ebron tried the key while he was handcuffed for a court appearance, as well as during a trip to Baker County court, according to the report.
Ebron told the inmate that he planned to escape while in a transport van. He said he would use the key to unlock his handcuffs, open the door to the van and run to a getaway car.
However, Ebron said his original getaway driver was incarcerated, so he needed someone else.
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The inmate recorded conversations with Ebron, who gave the inmate the orange key for him to use so they could escape together. Ebron told the inmate he had another key, which was black and looked like a handcuff key, the inmate told police. While Ebron was at a court appearance in Baker County, officers searched his cell.
Ebron is the boyfriend of Lonzie's mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton. Police are now treating Lonzie's disappearance as a murder investigation.
Ebron pleaded not guilty on August 17 to two counts of child neglect and one count of giving false information to police.
On Tuesday, Ebron appeared in Baker County court on an unrelated drug case. Bond was set at $37,000.
Lonzie has been missing since July 24. Private volunteers have continued to search for the missing toddler, with a group headed out in boats just this weekend.
On Monday, JSO searched an area of Cuba Hunter Park, where a patch of dirt holding two ceramic figurines were found. Nothing was found in the area.
Lauramore Barton bonded out of the Duval County Jail Monday night.
Barton, 25, was facing a total bond of $50,000 on charges of child neglect and giving false information to police.
She was arrested late Tuesday and appeared in court on Wednesday and did not enter a plea. Barton is due back in court Sept. 9.
Action News Jax is following this developing story and will have the latest updates online as they become available.
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