Judge Borello, thank you for allowing me to make this statement.
I would like to apologize to William and Wanda Ebron, my parents, and Debra and Lonzie Lauramore, Lonna's parents. You raised us better than this, you did no wrong, yet this has affected you so much and for that I am sorry. None of you deserved the public scrutiny that this brought.
I know our two families will forever be tied together and not in the way we had hoped for. Nobody dreams that this will ever happen to them or knows exactly how they would react if it does any parent want to believe ourselves...but it happened and both Lonna and I were both involved. This was a tragic accident made far worse by our horrible decision making. All we can do now is pay for the mistakes we have made and hopefully learn from them.
To Jessica; my children ... I know you all have been through far too much because of our actions and I am sorry. I regret not being able to be the partner, father, and friend you deserved.
I hope my efforts over the past four weeks and this plea today provide some measure of closure to everyone involved, including the Jacksonville and Macclenny communities.
And I apologize most of all to Lonzie Arin Ray Barton- we failed to provide you the care you needed and I failed to protect you from the harm of others. I have and will continue to ask for forgiveness for what I did and for what I failed to do. You were so young and you experienced far too much in your short life. You've touched so many lives but were taken from us too soon. Baby man, may you finally rest in peace.
Sincerely,
William Ruben Ebron, Jr.