Lonzie Barton, 21-Month-Old, Missing Since July 24, 2015 - Jacksonville, FL -- Mother arrested for neglect.

After Lonzie Barton goes missing, family keeps mum and neighbors pray

By Andrew Pantazi  Sat, Jul 25, 2015 @ 7:31 pm | updated Sat, Jul 25, 2015 @ 9:42 pm

BAKER COUNTY | Out here, nearly an hour away from the apartment complex where a little boy disappeared, Lonzie Barton’s family decided to keep quiet Saturday as the search for the 21-month-old child continued.


Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Lonzie Barton, a 21-month-old child, has been missing since early Friday morning

While Lonzie’s mother and father and their respective families said they weren’t going to talk yet, a neighbor wondered why they let a man with a history of violence take care of the young child.

Luis Gonzalez, a 30-year-old whose fiancee and children lived next door to Lonzie and his family in a Macclenny apartment complex before they were evicted in late spring, said Lonzie was often curious and exploring, touching potted plants or looking down the stairs.

His daughter was a few days apart from Lonzie’s older sister, so his family and Lonzie’s family would sit on the second-floor landing together.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-07-25/story/disappearance-lonzie-barton-timeline

Mother of missing Jacksonville toddler Lonzie Barton arrested late Tuesday night (Video)

By Joe Daraskevich  Tue, Aug 18, 2015 @ 11:53 pm | updated Wed, Aug 19, 2015 @ 8:04 am

The mother of 21-month-old Lonzie Barton was arrested late Tuesday on two separate charges as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the July 24 disappearance of her son.


Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Lonna Lauramore booking photo

Lonna Lauramore was charged with child neglect and giving false information to law enforcement investigating a missing person under the age of 16 years old, Chief Tom Hackney said.

She has her first court appearance at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

He said the charges are not directly related to the disappearance of Lonzie but they help to build the case against her boyfriend, 32-year-old William Ruben Ebron Jr.

Ebron was arraigned Monday on charges of felony child neglect and giving police false information.

Even if he posts bail, Ebron is on hold for Baker County where he faces drug charges and would be detained without bail.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-07-25/story/disappearance-lonzie-barton-timeline

WJXT Ashley Harding  ‎@WJXTAshleyH  
Chief Hackney mentions tattoo LONNA Barton got of her BF, Ruben Ebron's name. I got pic from source 1wk ago.@wjxt4

11:26 PM - 18 Aug 2015

https://twitter.com/WJXTAshleyH

WJXT Ashley Harding ‏@WJXTAshleyH    
People in the community doing what they can to help #FINDLONZIE.@wjxt4

11:26 PM - 18 Aug 2015

https://twitter.com/WJXTAshleyH

Ebron arraigned in missing Lonzie case; pleads not guilty

By Dana Treen  Mon, Aug 17, 2015 @ 8:54 am | updated Mon, Aug 17, 2015 @ 10:21 am

The man taking care of 21-month-old Lonzie Barton the night he disappeared from a Jacksonville apartment was arraigned Monday on charges of felony child neglect and giving police false information.


Shelby Danielsen/First Coast News
William Ruben Ebron Jr. pleaded not guilty in Duval County Court Monday morning

William Ruben Ebron Jr., the 32-year-old boyfriend of Lonzie’s mother, pleaded not guilty. The hearing was brief, and Ebron wore shackles and an orange jail jumpsuit. It’s unclear if any family from either side were present, but it didn’t appear so.

Ebron has been jailed since the toddler went missing early July 24.

He has steadfastly maintained he has told police everything and said he saw his car being driven from his apartment complex the night he put Lonzie in the car. He said he had gone upstairs to do something and saw the abduction when he came back down.

Ebron has told multiple lies that hampered the investigation, Assistant State Attorney Rich Mantei said.

“He started off by falsely reporting that someone stole the child,” Mantei said following the hearing. That alone has made investigators’ job harder.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-08-17/story/ebron-arraigned-missing-lonzie-case-pleads-not-guilty

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New police report details allegations that William Ruben Ebron Jr. raped a woman weeks before Lonzie Barton went missing

By Andrew Pantazi Fri, Aug 14, 2015 @ 6:13 pm | updated Fri, Aug 14, 2015 @ 7:28 pm

The ex-girlfriend of William Ruben Ebron Jr. accused him of raping her just weeks before toddler Lonzie Barton went missing, a newly released police incident report documents.


Florida Times-Union/Bob Self

On July 1, 23 days before Ebron reported that 21-month-old Lonzie disappeared at the Ravenwood Apartments on South Old Kings Road, his ex-girlfriend called police.

She said she’d gone over to Ebron’s home after she left work, and while she was there, he raped her, she said in the police report. She said she had yelled and cried, but he told her to stop.

She said five children were in the home at the time, including her children and his current girlfriend’s children. Although no names were listed, Ebron was dating Lonzie Barton’s mother at this time, according to police and Times-Union research in the case.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-08-14/story/new-police-report-details-allegations-william-ruben-ebron-jr-raped-woman

Posted: 7:13 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015

JSO: Lonzie Barton injured before disappearance



JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The mother of missing 21-month-old Lonzie Barton was arrested Tuesday night.

Police said the mother of a missing toddler had information that could've helped in the investigation, but knowingly kept it from officers and left her child in the care of a known drug dealer.

Lonzie was reported missing on July 24 and are now investigating it as a homicide. Lonzie's mother, 25-year-old Lonna Lauramore, is charged with child neglect and giving false information to police.

~Snipped~

JSO said Lauramore and her boyfriend, Ebron, got into an intense argument the night before because Lonzie was found with a bruise to the back of his head and yellow fluid coming out of his ears. Police said the boy was lethargic and was throwing up. Despite the condition of her son, Lauramore went to work, according to JSO.

Chief of Investigations Tom Hackney said Lauramore was stopped by police the night Lonzie was reported abducted. Officers said they asked her about her boyfriend and his orange Honda Civic and she told them she denied even knowing him. Police said she eventually confessed.

Read more:

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/jso-lonzie-barton-injured-disappearance/nnMhj/

RAW VIDEO: Chief Tom Hackney talks about arrest of Lonzie's mom



Chief Tom Hackney announces the arrest of Lonna Lauramore, the mother of Lonzie Barton, on child neglect and giving false information to police.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/videos/news/raw-video-chief-tom-hackney-talks-about-arrest-of/vDYtdy/

Mother of missing Jacksonville boy arrested on child neglect charge

WTLV
Published: August 19, 2015, 7:34 am  |  Updated: August 19, 2015, 7:42 am


Lonna Lauramore was arrested late Tuesday. Investigators say that she lied to police after her son, 21-month-old Lonzie Barton, was reported missing on July 24. (Photo: WTLV)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly a month after 21-month-old Lonzie Barton went missing, his mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton, has been arrested, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced late Tuesday night.

Lauramore is charged with one count of child neglect and one count of giving false information to law enforcement after lying to investigators and allowing “unsecured” drugs in the presence of her children, Chief of Investigations Tom Hackney said. Hackney told reporters that Lauramore had initially lied to investigators about knowing William “Ruben” Ebron, 32, the night of Lonzie’s disappearance.

“There’s been a pattern of deception and lies,” the chief said. The charges are not directly related to the toddler’s disappearance.


Lonzie Barton. Image courtesy WESH

On July 23, the day before Lonzie was reported missing, Lauramore was told about a bruise on the back of his head and confronted Ebron about it, said Hackney. “Lonzie had yellow fluid coming from his ears, he was lethargic and vomiting,” he added. Nonetheless, Hackney said, she left Lonzie and his 5-year-old sister in the care, custody and control of Ebron and left to go to work at Wacko’s, an adult entertainment venue.

Ebron, who kept drugs at the apartment Lauramore shared with her children, would routinely take Lauramore with him on drug deals, Chief Hackney told reporters. “She found it in the best interest of Lonzie to have him in the car” too, he said.

Read more:

http://wfla.com/2015/08/19/mother-of-missing-jacksonville-boy-arrested-on-child-neglect-charge/

Lonzie Barton’s Mother Arrested For Child Neglect, Lying To Police

By Jessica Palombo • 7 hours ago


Investigations Chief Tom Hackney says Lauramore, pictured here with Lonzie months before his disappearance, lied to investigators the night her son disappeared.

~Snipped~

“From the beginning involving Lonna Lauramore, there’s been a pattern of deception, of lies, whatever adjective you want to use to call it, it’s just not telling the truth,” Hackney said, “and if she’s not telling the truth in looking for her own 21-month-old, why? Why not?”

Hackney says two charges of child neglect are because Lauramore kept illegal drugs in a drawer where Lonzie and her 5-year-old daughter could easily access them.

Read more:

http://news.wjct.org/post/lonzie-barton-s-mother-arrested-child-neglect-lying-police

Find Lonzie Barton

21-month-old Lonzie Barton was reported missing on July 24, 2015.

Articles/Videos/Information:

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/s/find-lonzie-barton/

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Jacksonville Sheriff Says Missing Boy's Caregiver Lied to Investigators


William Ebron, left, pictured in a May 2015 mugshot. An Amber Alert has been issued for Lonzie Barton, right.

Updated at 1:23 PM EDT on Saturday, Jul 25, 2015

A caregiver for a missing Florida boy has been lying to investigators about the child's disappearance, authorities said Saturday.

William Ebron initially told investigators that he had left 21-month-old Lonzie Barton of Jacksonville in a car early Friday outside the apartment where they lived with the boy's mother, and the car was stolen with the boy still in it when he went back inside.

The car Ebron reported stolen was found with its keys inside shortly after a 911 call alerted authorities to Lonzie's disappearance. Detectives and K-9 units continued searching the area for the boy Saturday.

Ebron has stopped cooperating with investigators, who now believe he lied about Lonzie's disappearance, Tom Hackney, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office chief of detectives, told reporters Saturday.

"Without a doubt, the report that he gave, that his car was taken by some unknown suspect and left by some unknown suspect is a lie and is not true," Hackney said.

Read more:

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Jacksonville-Sheriff-Says-Missing-Boys-Caregiver-Lied-to-Investigators-318530371.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_MIBrand

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Lonzie Barton Amber Alert: Boyfriend of missing Florida toddler's mother now suspect

By  Jeremy Gray | jgray@al.com  
on July 26, 2015 at 8:14 AM

The boyfriend of the mother of a missing 21-month-old is now considered a suspect in the case, police told The Orlando Sentinel.

That report continues:

"William Ebron initially told investigators that he had left 21-month-old Lonzie Barton of Jacksonville in a car early Friday outside the apartment where they lived with the boy's mother, and the car was stolen with the boy still in it when he went back inside.

The car Ebron reported stolen was found with its keys inside shortly after a 911 call alerted authorities to Lonzie's disappearance. Detectives and K-9 units continued searching the area for the boy Saturday.

"The facts that have come together have led William Ebron to being a suspect," the Jax Sheriff's Office tweeted Saturday.

Read more:

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/07/lonzie_barton_amber_alert_boyf.html

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Frustration mounts as police search for Lonzie Barton closes in on third day

By Dan Scanlan  Sat, Jul 25, 2015 @ 9:10 pm | updated Sun, Jul 26, 2015 @ 7:22 am



As police cruisers repeatedly drove past him on Powers Avenue, the man in charge of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s now 2-day-long search for missing toddler Lonzie Barton admitted that he is frustrated.

And police will be back searching Sunday morning in an area south of The Avenues mall where a tip led them on Saturday, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Chief Tom Hackney said.

Hackney said that William Ruben Ebron Jr., the 32-year-old man who originally claimed the boy had been taken when his orange Honda was stolen early Friday, is now “the suspect in our abduction after evidence and police interviews with him changed that original story.

“I have somebody who knows what happened to Lonzie and the cooperation level hasn’t been enough to have us either recover that child alive or recover that child’s body,” Hackney said outside Wolfson High School, the police search’s command center.

Read more:

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2015-07-25/story/frustration-mounts-police-search-missing-jacksonville-toddler-closes?utm_source=Recommendation_Widget_rail&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=qrec&utm_content=image

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Texas EquuSearch to join search for Lonzie Barton

Jessica Clark, First Coast News 8:09 a.m. EDT July 27, 2015

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies have scoured neighborhoods and lakes on the Southside for missing 21-month-old Lonzie Barton.

Now, JSO is asking the group Texas EquuSearch for their resources, according to the Texas EquuSearch website.

Texas EquuSearch is a mounted search and recovery team, made up of trained volunteers.

This is not the first time it has helped look for a missing Florida child. They helped search for Caylee Anthony in Orlando and for Haleigh Cummings in Putnam County.

Texas EquuSearch director Tim Miller told First Coast News a team of eleven of his Florida searchers plan to report to the JSO command center Monday morning to help search for Lonzie Barton.

Read more:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/local/2015/07/26/for-lonzie-barton/30717047/

Ruben Ebron's mother: He's not a murderer

Suspect in Lonzie Barton's disappearance pleads not guilty on 3 charges

Author: Marques White, Weekend morning anchor, reporter, mwhite@wjxt.com
Tarik Minor, Anchor-reporter, tminor@wjxt.com
News4Jax.com Staff, webteam@wjxt.com

Published On: Aug 17 2015 05:26:34 AM EDT   Updated On: Aug 17 2015 06:40:00 PM EDT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -  The prime suspect in the disappearance of 21-month-old Lonzie Barton pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of child neglect and one count of lying to police.

William Ruben Ebron Jr. was the boyfriend of Lonzie's mother and is believed to be the last person who saw the toddler alive.

Ebron, 32, was charged with two counts of child neglect after Lonzie's disappearance more than three weeks ago. An additional charge of giving false information to police was added Friday.

~Snipped~

Ebron will remain in jail on $100,000 bond. Prosecutors said if Ebron was able to post bond, authorities would want to make sure the money was from legitimate sources, not the proceeds of drug sales.

Ebron's mother, Wanda Ebron, said her son might have a criminal record, but he's not a murderer and he did not harm Lonzie

Read more:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/ruben-ebron-pleads-not-guilty/34754652

Barton's parents in court

Published On: Sep 17 2015 06:42:05 PM EDT   Updated On: Sep 17 2015 06:50:27 PM EDT



VIDEO: All three people connected to the missing 21-month-old Lonzie Barton were in court appearing before judges. Barton's parents were arrested on drug charges for selling MDMA while Ruben Ebron appeared on charges of child neglect.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/bartons-parents-in-court/35333354

Police: Parents of missing toddler arrested on drug charges



Lonzie Barton (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
Associated Press

September 17, 2015, 6:59 PM

MACCLENNY — The parents of a missing Florida toddler were arrested on drug charges Wednesday after police say they used drugs with an informant.

Lonna Lauramore Barton, 25 and Chris Barton, 42, were at a motel doing drugs when the informant called authorities concerned about safety, according to an arrest report.

They are the parents of Lonzie Barton, who was 21 months old when he disappeared July 24. Lonna Barton's 32-year-old boyfriend, William Ruben Ebron Jr., remains in jail on child neglect charges.

Ebron Jr. told police that he left Lonzie in his car alone for a few minutes to retrieve something in the house, and when he returned the car was gone.

Authorities later released surveillance video showing Ebron's car driving past the camera, and then later a man they believe to be Ebron running back the other direction.

The child has still not been found.

Read more:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ap-lonzie-barton-missing-toddler-parents-arrested-20150917-story.html

Parents of Florida boy, one, who's been missing since July are arrested on drug charges

. The mother and father of Lonzie Barton, who disappeared July 24 while in the care of his mom's boyfriend, were arrested Wednesday
. Lauramore Barton was out on bail when police picked her up at a motel on charges she sold the drug molly
. Her ex, Lonzie's dad Chris Barton, was pulled over by deputies a short time later. Both face multiple drug charges
. Ms. Barton was on probation for child neglect charges and charges she lied to police
. Lauramore Barton’s boyfriend, William Ruben Ebron Jr., 32, was arrested July 24 and cops believe he knows what happened to Lonzie

By Ap and Dailymail.com Reporter
Published: 08:44 EST, 17 September 2015  | Updated: 15:05 EST, 17 September 2015



Arrested: Lonna Lauramore Barton, 25 (right) was arrested Wednesday night at a motel moments after a month long drug investigation that involved her ex, 42-year-old Chris Barton. Their son Lonzie disappeared while in the care of Ms. Barton's boyfriend in July

The parents of a missing Florida toddler have been arrested on drug charges.

Baker County Sheriff Joey Dobson says 25-year-old Lonna Lauramore Barton was arrested Wednesday night at a motel moments after 42-year-old Chris Barton left with another man.

They are the parents of Lonzie Barton, who was 21 months old when he disappeared July 23. Barton's 32-year-old boyfriend William Ruben Ebron Jr. remains in jail on child neglect charges.

The Florida Times-Union reports Chris Barton was pulled over by deputies a short time later. Both face multiple drug charges.

Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3238496/Parents-Florida-boy-one-s-missing-July-arrested-drug-charges.html

Stepdad leads cops to garbage heap containing the remains of slain toddler, six-months after he vanished
| UPDATED: 22:54 EST, 11 January 2016


"...Authorities found human remains on Monday that they believe are those of a Florida toddler who was reported missing last summer.

The remains were in a 'garbage heap' in a wooded area after the boyfriend of the child's mother led them to the site, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief of Investigations Tom Hackney said at a news conference.

Hackney said the skeletal remains are believed to be those of Lonzie Barton which were found covered, but not buried, according to News4Jax...."

"...t was about nine miles from the apartment where the boy was last seen alive.

'That little boy didn't need to be discarded like a piece of trash,' Hackney said.

Lonzie was 21 months old in July when his mother's boyfriend reported him missing.

Both the mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton, 26, and her boyfriend, 32-year-old William Ruben Ebron Jr., have been accused of child neglect...."


"...Lauramore Barton pleaded guilty last week to child neglect and lying to police, and agreed to testify against Ebron.

The judge has not yet decided whether she can do so, however.

Ebron's trial was supposed to start on Monday morning, but was postponed when he waived his right to a speedy trial on charges of child neglect, tampering with evidence and lying to police.

A hearing is scheduled for January 19. Corey says new charges are possible for both.

Ebron led authorities to the site, Williams said. ..."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3394660/Missing-Florida-Toddler.html

BTW, I am beginning to wonder about the reporting of the mother (Lonna Lauramore Barton), the father (Chris Barton) and the "stepfather ( William Ebron). I have read several reports indicating Ebron was a relative of the father, Chris Barton. I have seen pics where the names or the pics have been incorrectly identified.