Lonzie Barton was a 21-month-old boy who went missing on July 24, 2015, in Jacksonville, Florida. His disappearance sparked a massive search effort that lasted for months, but ended with the grim discovery of his remains in a wooded area. What happened to Lonzie Barton and how did he die? Here is a summary of the tragic case that shocked the nation.
The Disappearance
Lonzie Barton was reported missing by his mother’s boyfriend, William Ruben Ebron Jr., who claimed that his car was stolen with the toddler inside. Ebron called the police around 2:20 a.m. and said that he was unable to chase down the carjacker. However, security video later showed that Ebron staged the car theft and lied to the police. He was arrested and charged with child neglect, lying to police, and tampering with evidence.
Lonzie’s mother, Lonna Lauramore Barton, was a drug-addicted stripper who worked at a nearby club. She left Lonzie and his 5-year-old sister in Ebron’s care while she was at work. She was also arrested and charged with child neglect and lying to police. She admitted that she knew Ebron was lying about Lonzie’s abduction and that she did not check on her son before leaving for work.
The police and the community searched for Lonzie for 172 days, hoping to find him alive. They searched ponds, woods, neighborhoods, and landfills, but found no trace of him. They offered a reward of $10,500 for any information leading to his whereabouts.
The Confession
On Jan. 11, 2016, the same day that Ebron’s trial was supposed to start, he changed his story and confessed to what happened to Lonzie. He told the police that Lonzie drowned in a bathtub while he and Lonna were having sex in another room. He said that he panicked and hid Lonzie’s body in a trash pile near Philips Highway and Interstate 295. He then led the police to the spot where he dumped Lonzie’s remains.
The police recovered Lonzie’s skeletal remains in 11 brown paper bags. Some of the bags contained wisps of blond hair belonging to the blue-eyed boy. The medical examiner’s report revealed that Lonzie suffered eight blunt force rib fractures before his death and at least two skull fractures near the time of his death. The report also noted “blunt trauma” as a possible cause of death, but could not determine the exact cause or manner of death due to the decomposition of the body.
The Sentencing
Ebron pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in exchange for leading the police to Lonzie’s body. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, along with concurrent sentences for child neglect, lying to police, and tampering with evidence.
Lonna also pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and testified against Ebron. She was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in her son’s death and seven years for a drug charge from Baker County.
Lonzie’s father, Christopher Arin Barton, who was never charged in his son’s death, is also in prison on drug charges.
Lonzie Barton’s case is one of the most heartbreaking stories of child abuse and neglect in Florida’s history. His short life ended in a horrific way, and his death exposed the dark secrets of his parents and their drug addiction. His memory lives on in the hearts of those who searched for him and hoped for his safe return.
