JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Ruben Ebron pleaded guilty Friday morning to aggravated manslaughter and three additional counts in the death of toddler Lonzie Barton.
Duval County Judge Mark Borello accepted Ebron's plea of guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child as well as charges of child neglect, lying to police and tampering with evidence.
Ebron was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
The preliminary autopsy results show the remains found in a wooded area on the city's Southside last month belong to missing toddler Lonzie Barton, state prosecutor Rich Mantei said.
Ebron photographed injuries of Lonzie and failed to get him appropriate medical care, according to the state.
The blonde hair, blue was found dead in a tub of water at the apartment after he was left unattended, Mantei said. Lonna Barton, the toddler's mother, was there then went to work at Wacko's strip club after, he said.
"Lonna and I were both involved and now we have to pay the price," Ebron said at the hearing.
Ebron then covered up Lonzie's death, prosecutors said, by staging an elaborate kidnapping story before dumping his body in the woods.
The cause of death was undetermined due to the state of the child's body, Mantei said.
There were no family members of Lonzie who wished to speak on his behalf before Ebron was sentenced, prosecutors said.
"We failed to provide you the care you needed and I failed to protect you from the harm of others," Ebron said to Lonzie in a statement. "May you finally rest in peace."
After the hearing, Ruben's father, William Sr., thanked Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief of Investigations Tom Hackney for all his hard work in the case.
"The whole situation is very disappointing," William Sr. told First Coast News. "A child is gone. Lonzie is not here."
Ebron has 30 days to appeal.
Stay with First Coast News for updates in this developing story.
