Wanda Ebron, the mother of Ruben Ebron, told News4JAX on Wednesday after learning of Lonna Barton’s release that she met little Lonzie just weeks before his death.

The mother of a toddler at the center of one of the biggest missing child cases in the Jacksonville area was released from prison on Wednesday after serving time in connection with his death.

Tuesday marks six years since Lonzie Barton’s body was found in a wooded area off Interstate 295 in Bayard.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Wednesday marks four years since the search for Lonzie Barton began, sparking one of the biggest missing child cases in the Jacksonville area. On Aug. 18, 2015, Lonna Barton, Lonzie's mother, was arrested after police said she gave a false statement. Lonna Barton pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison, plus seven years for drug charges in Baker County. Lonzie's father, Chris Barton, was arrested days after the family buried Lonzie. He spent nearly two years in prison on drug charges and was released in March 2018.

The 1st District Court of Appeals has upheld the seven-year prison sentence that Lonzie Barton's mother received in Baker County, where she pleaded guilty to drug charges. That sentence was ordered to run consecutively to the five years that Lonna Barton got in Duval County, where she pleaded guilty to child neglect in connection with the death of her son, 21-month-old Lonzie. Lonzie disappeared in July 2015 and his remains were found in January 2016. Barton’s boyfriend, Ruben Ebron, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He got five years tacked on in Baker County for his conviction on drug charges.

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. 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. Chris Barton was sentenced to three years on the drug charges and 38 days for the battery charge. Lonna Barton and Chris Barton were arrested Sept. 16 after an undercover drug deal at a Baker County motel.

In court Friday, the public defender read a letter from Ebron in which Ebron apologized to his family, Lonzie and Lonna Barton, who was Ebron's girlfriend when the boy disappeared. "I don’t think 20 years is enough," said Shirley Barton, Lonzie's great aunt. Lonna Barton and her ex-husband, Chris Barton, who is Lonzie's father, were caught doing drugs the evening after a custody hearing for Lonzie's older sister, while their son was still missing. Ebron led a convoy of investigators to the property in Bayard, where he said he disposed of the Lonzie's remains. Lonna Barton currently faces up to six years in prison on the charges she pleaded guilty to after Lonzie's disappearance.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just over a week after police said the remains of toddler Lonzie Barton were likely found, a hearing in the Ruben Ebron case was postponed until Feb. 9. A status hearing in Ebron's case was scheduled Tuesday morning, but at the last minute it was passed for three weeks. An attorney not affiliated with the case said the negotiated deal could cause problems for the prosecution if the case ever goes to trial. "Hopefully when it does -- all the information comes back -- there will be no plea deal. He will not be allowed to accept a plea deal," Patricia Harris said.

Ruben Ebron, the man police have long called their prime suspect in the 21-month-old's disappearance, had his visits and calls restricted by a judge in September. In the meantime, Ebron, who reported Lonzie missing in July, saw his father for the first time in months on Monday. William Ebron Sr. spend about two hours with his son at the jail, which is the maximum visitation time. Ebron reported Lonzie missing July 24 and at first claimed that the toddler was abducted when his car was stolen with Lonzie inside. Ebron also faces charges related to a planned escape from jail, but Borello split those into a separate trial.