Lonna, Chris Barton in court on drug charges

Baker County cases continued until February

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The parents of toddler Lonzie Barton, whose remains police believe they found last week, appeared in court Tuesday in Baker County on drug dealing charges. 

Lonna Barton, Christopher Barton and Shawn Hall were arrested in mid-September after authorities said they sold the synthetic drug Molly to an undercover officer in Macclenny. The arrest happened just hours after the Bartons appeared at a custody hearing in for their 5-year-old daughter in Duval County.

Hall died at the end of October after bonding out of jail.

The Bartons' drug cases were continued to Feb. 23. It's possible Chris Barton could enter a plea that day.

Chris Barton remains in Baker County Jail, where he received medical treatment last week after he was told Ruben Ebron, the prime suspect in his son's disappearance, had led police to a wooded area in Bayard where a child's remains were found.

The medical examiner is still working to confirm the identity of the remains.

Lonna Barton pleaded guilty in Duval County earlier this month to charges of child neglect and lying to police in connection with Lonzie's disappearance. She remains in Duval County Jail awaiting sentencing on those charges.

Lonna Barton told police that she left her son in the care of Ebron, her boyfriend at the time, and went to work the night of July 23. Ebron reported the boy missing early the morning of July 24, saying his car was stolen with the toddler still inside.

Police soon refuted that story, releasing surveillance video they said showed Ebron ditching his car in the area where it was later found and running back to his apartment complex before he called 911.

Ebron long maintained that he did not know where Lonzie was, but last week, he led police to a wooded area of Bayard where they found what they believe are Lonzie's remains.