JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The mother of 22-month-old Lonzie Barton, who went missing last summer and was found dead in January, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for child neglect.
Before handing down the sentence, Circuit Judge Mark Borello told Lonna Barton, 26, "It is clear that your actions and behavior in this case, in no small part, resulted in a death sentence for your son."
The toddler's disappearance resulted in a massive citywide search. Barton and her boyfriend, Ruben Ebron, were both charged while the search for the little boy continued.
In January, Ebron led investigators to Lonzie's remains, which had been dumped in a field in the Bayard area. Ebron later reached a plea deal in which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Prosecutors says there was not enough physical evidence to charge anyone with murder in connection with Lonzie's death.
Barton, who is the mother of two other children, did not speak during her court sentencing. Her attorney, Kevin Carlisle, said the mother was neglectful for allowing Lonzie to be around drug use and drug sales.
Following the hearing, Ebron's parents said they believed the mother of Lonzie got a break that wasn't available to their son.
"I don't think equal justice," said William Ebron with his wife, Wanda, at his side. "...I think she (Lonna) knows more, I think she saw more, I think they (prosecutors) tried to basically pull her out of it and put all of it -- the emphasis -- strictly on my son, like she had no involvement."
Those remarks didn't jibe with Assistant State Attorney Richard Mantei.
"To suggest that this case and the outcome in this case and the charges in this case had anything to do with with race of the parties is quite frankly fraudulent, it's phony and it's offensive," said Mantei.
Judge Borello also heard that Barton went along with the rumor she was pregnant to hopefully solicit information from Ebron about Lonzie. Ebron admitted during his sentencing that he and Lonna had sex while Lonzie drowned in the bath tub on the day he was last seen alive.
Barton's legal problems are far from over as she faces unrelated drug charges in Baker County. As far as any additional charges in connection with Lonzie's death, prosecutors declined to say what if anything will happen.