BAKER COUNTY, Fla. – Days after they attended their son's burial services last week, the parents of toddler Lonzie Barton were entered into the state prison system.
Lonna and Chris Barton had been held in the Baker County Jail until after their son's private family funeral last Tuesday at V. Todd Ferreira Funeral Services in Macclenny.
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Two days later, they were turned over to the Florida Department of Corrections to begin their prison sentences. They will be spending several weeks being screened at DOC reception centers, until they are assigned to specific prisons.
Lonna Barton will serve five years for Duval County charges of child neglect and lying to police and another seven years for Baker County drug charges. She pleaded guilty in both cases.
Chris Barton also pleaded guilty to his drug charges and to a battery charge that resulted from a fight in jail with Ransom Barefoot, who has publicly claimed to be Lonzie's father.
Chris Barton was sentenced to three years on the drug charges and 38 days for the battery charge. He was credited with 203 days served and ordered to undergo drug and alcohol evaluations and treatment after he's released.
Lonna Barton and Chris Barton were arrested Sept. 16 after an undercover drug deal at a Baker County motel.
According to the Baker County arrest report, a confidential informant was told Lonna and Chris Barton used syringes to inject themselves with Molly, also known as MDMA or Ecstasy, and they encouraged the informant to do the same.
Their arrests came less than two months after their son Lonzie was reported missing by Ruben Ebron, Lonna Barton's boyfriend at the time, who told police that his car had been stolen with the 21-month-old inside.
Ebron later told police that Lonzie drowned in a bathtub in his apartment while he was having sex with Lonna Barton and he panicked and hid the boy's body in a trash pile off State Road 9B near Bayard.
The boy's remains were found in January after Ebron led police to the area.
Ebron is serving a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the child's death.