JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ruben Ebron sits in jail in Duval County, charged with child neglect, lying to police and trying to escape from jail, the prime suspect in the disappearance of 21-month-old Lonzie Barton who police believe he murdered.
After police said Ebron tried to escape, he was denied contact with five of the seven witnesses involved in the disappearance of the young boy, except for Ebron's parents, and then only with an attorney present.
One of the those witnesses is Ebron's ex-girlfriend, and mother of three of his children, who has decided to come forward and talk about the investigation into the disappearance of Lonzie, the son of Ebron's current girlfriend, Lonna Barton.
Ebrons' ex, who asked not to be identified, said she doesn't trust Lonna Barton, and said her kids miss their father as he sits in jail.
She said she's breaking her silence because she wants to speak out about her family dynamic, which she said is very different from the unfair public perception of Ebron.
She has three children by Ebron and for the past seven years, they've all lived with Ebron's mother and father, who she said provided a loving home.
Ebron's ex said that her kids not only miss their father, they miss Lonzie, who they knew. As for Lonna Barton, she believes she's somehow involved in the toddler's disappearance.
When asked by News4Jax's Tarik Minor whether she thought if Lonna Barton knew more than she was telling police, her response was simple.
"I think she's a liar," she said.
The mother of three of Ebron's children said she calls Lonna Barton a liar because she denied knowing Ebron from the very start of the police investigation.
She asked to have her identity concealed but said she's tired of remaining silent about Lonzie's disappearance. She questions why JSO officers withheld information from the public about Lonna Barton's cooperation and she said police initially portrayed Ebron as monster, and Lonna Barton as a worried mom.
"It really ticks me off that for almost a month it was all about him. The detective was saying she's cooperative, but he's lying. It's one way or the other, you can't have it both ways, so why didn't they start this from the beginning. If she was lying from the beginning, why didn't police put that out," Ebron's ex said.
Ebron's ex said the three kids they have together miss their father desperately, and she's angered that an injunction she filed and tried to get dismissed, restricts Ebron from seeing his family.
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"They are very sad that they won't see their dad for a very long time. They knew Lonzie and they said that they are going to pray for him every night," she said.
Ebron's ex said her kids met and played with Lonzie, who she said considered Ebron to be a father figure.
She also said she met Lonna Barton face to face a few times, because Ruben and Lonna cared for her three kids as well.
She said Lonna Barton should not have been allowed to bond out of jail because of the poor parenting police have accused her of.
"If she was so worried about leaving her son in his care, why didn't she take him to the hospital? If your child is hurt, vomiting and his ear is leaking, wouldn't you think you would run to the hospital and not go to work … I know I would run right to that hospital," Ebron's ex said.
Ebron's ex said he was a loving father, but admits the two have had their issues. She said she still cares about him, but not the way that she did in the past.
"Me and him have a history, a 12-year history on and off, we have a love hate relationship. Like oil and vinegar, we both had our problems, we both have been violent towards each other, (but) you've got to grow up one day and that's what I'm doing," she said.
She said that through everything, she believes Ebron is a good father and can't comprehend him ever hurting a child, even if the police alleged he had something to do with Lonzie's apparent death.
"I don't know. I mean I don't know what happened," she said.
Rubens ex also said she doesn't believe Ebron is guilty of trying to escape from jail, even though police allege he had two makeshift handcuff keys.
"Until you show me the video or recording of this attempted escape, then I'll believe it, but I'm not going to believe it just because the detectives said he did something, I think they are trying to pick every little thing to keep him in jail," Ebron's ex said.
Wanda Ebron, Ruben Ebron's mother, is unhappy that she is listed as a witness who may have to testify.
"I can only testify that I am Ruben Ebron's mother. I've already testified to where I was when Lonzie disappeared. Police know where my cell phone 'pinged' from. Calling us to testify as witnesses is a waste of taxpayer's money," Wanda Ebron said.