JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax was the first to tell you before 5 p.m. Tuesday that multiple law enforcement sources and family members say Lonna Lauramore Barton, the mother of missing toddler Lonzie Barton, is pregnant.
Barton is currently in the Duval County Jail on charges of child neglect and giving false information to police. She is also facing drug charges in Baker County.
Lauramore Barton's boyfriend, Ruben Ebron, is also in the Duval County Jail and is considered the prime suspect in Lonzie's disappearance.
We spoke with Ebron's family members Tuesday. His uncle said Ebron is confident the baby is his, but there are still questions about what happens when the baby is born.
Barton showed up to court Tuesday morning in an orange jump suit with a noticeable bump. She has been in jail since new video was taken in September by a confidential informant. Police say it shows Lauramore Barton doing drugs inside a Baker County hotel room.
That was two months ago, but Ebron's father told us he's known Lauramore Barton is pregnant for the last three months. Ebron's uncle told us Lauramore Barton said something to Ebron that she may be pregnant back in July when Lonzie disappeared.
"Of course DCF (the Florida Department of Children and Families) will look at the video of her using drugs during the pendency of her pregnancy and say 'wait, this mother was actually taking drugs, and that clearly demonstrates she's not qualified to be a mother,'" said Action News Law and Safety expert Dale Carson.
We asked Carson if she could face more charges for doing drugs if she was pregnant.
"That's not likely. They would have to argue that she knew she was pregnant," said Carson.
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Barton's former boss, Wacko's manager Jacques Alexander, was surprised to hear she was pregnant.
"For her to make this kind of decision that tells you what kind of person she is," said Alexander. "To think she's gonna have another child when she couldn't take care of her first one."
There are also questions about what happens to the baby after it is born. A spokesperson for the Family Support Services of North Florida said they can’t talk about specific cases, but said in situations like this, they’ll come up with a plan on how to handle the pregnancy before the baby is even born. The baby could either go into the foster care system, costing taxpayers, or be placed with relatives.
Lauramore Barton's lawyer released the following statement to Action News Jax: "Whether or not Lonna Barton is pregnant doesn't change the facts of the case, and it doesn't change our commitment to fight zealously for her in court."
Action News Jax is working to find out what a pregnancy would mean in the case against her. Action News Jax Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson said the pregnancy shouldn't affect the trial directly.
"It doesn't have a direct effect on the trial other than if she is pregnant, unless she becomes ill, where that can cause a delay in the process. That's the only thing that could happen. But she's going to be treated just like any other person. With this new revelation, all it does is points to the fact that both her and Ebron had an ongoing relationship," Jefferson said.
Lonzie has been missing since July 24.
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