Amber Alert

Boyfriend of Missing Florida Boy's Mother Named as Suspect in Child's Disappearance

Authorities said the boyfriend of a missing boy's mother is now a suspect in his disappearance.

Lonzie Barton, 21 months old, disappeared early Friday after his mother's boyfriend said he left the child in a car. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says the man, 32-year-old William Ebron, is now a suspect in Lonzie's disappearance.

Officials arrested Ebron Saturday on child neglect charges, when the sheriff's office said they believed he had been lying to investigators.

"He has the answers we need," said JSO Chief of Detectives Tom Hackney. "Honestly, he's lying to us, he's trying to manipulate investigators."

Hackney said tips were helping to guide their search. Officers and divers were searching retention ponds, neighborhoods near a highway, and a mobile home park.

"We are not here accidentally," Hackney said. "We are looking in certain places, and we're looking in these bodies of water for a reason."

Hackney said other tips and evidence also have directed the search. Over 150 local, state and federal law enforcement officers have joined the effort. Dive teams and FBI cadaver dogs from Miami have also been dispatched to the area.

An Amber Alert remains active for Lonzie.

"As time goes on, our chances of finding Lonzie alive slip away," Hackney told reporters. "That breaks my heart. I want a resolution to this."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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