GUILTY LA - Levi Cole Ellerbe, 6 mos, kidnapped, burned to death, Natchitoches, 17 Jul 2018 *arrests*

[Charliegizmo49]

OMG! Well, that explains Barker's charge of principal to first-degree murder. But to read that Levi's mother wanted him gone and didn't care how much pain he would feel is nearly impossible to process.

I know it's Smith's story for now but I do believe it and I also feel this was a revenge murder concocted by a mother who didn't want her child and hated his father. So win-win for her. Or so she thought. Two more stupid criminals.

Shooting him would have left evidence too so it makes no sense that her wanting to burn Levi "until he was bones" was only to cover up evidence. IOW, there was more to it than just getting rid of evidence. IMO Barker was so angry at his dad that she wanted to hurt him as much as possible and to hell with the pain Levi would suffer. I bet he was severely abused before his murder too. MOO.

And how could Smith do this to a living, breathing baby? I see no possibility of rehabilitation for either of these witches. It doesn't matter anyway, they're both gonna "burn" for their horrendous crime.

My big question is how could people not know Levi was living in danger? How could they ignore it and allow it to escalate to this point. Barkers FB is deplorable

Those close to her had to know. I understand they had helped her before, but to leave a child in that home is negligent. An addict who recently began using again is a huge danger. I have helped kids having family issues for many years. Some were with us a couple days, the others months. .

All parents agreed and reciprocated to us when our kids needed the same.

 

[Niner]

Mother in north Louisiana burned baby case to seek bond

I can't access this - can someone post a 10% synopsis please? TIA!

 

[MicheleT]

Hanna Nicole Barker is scheduled to be in a Natchitoches Parish courtroom Friday morning for multiple motions, including one to set bond. The motions were filed recently by Shreveport attorney J. Dhu Thompson, a former prosecutor now in private practice.
Some of the motions filed by Thompson state Barker has been charged with first-degree murder and faces the death penalty. But a Natchitoches Parish grand jury did not indict Barker last month.

However, the grand jury did request more information on the case against her even as the police investigation, conducted jointly by the Natchitoches Police Department and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office, continues.

When the grand jury news was announced, Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington said that, as more evidence was presented, "we will proceed accordingly."

Most of the rest of the article talked about both defendant's prior drug use and court related info for that.

 

[MsMarple]

Mother in north Louisiana burned baby case to seek bond

I can't access this - can someone post a 10% synopsis please? TIA!

Here's more news Niner:

Barker was arrested in 2016 on drug-related charges in Natchitoches Parish. A five-year prison sentenced was deferred, however, and she was placed in the 10th Judicial District Court's drug court.
...
She had been arrested on possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia charges on Feb. 8, 2016. On Feb. 12, 2016, she signed an agreement to enter drug court.

Court minutes reveal Barker's struggle during her time in that program. The motion and order for a revocation hearing that was filed Sept. 21 list some of reasons officials are giving for their action.

It states that Barker has violated her probation by being in arrears in both her probation supervision and fines and court costs fees — $100 and $930, respectively.

There's also a list of drug court infractions she allegedly committed.
...
An entry dated Feb. 16, 2016, notes that she fled to Texas.
...
She was reprimanded twice within two months for "inappropriate" relationships with two men also in drug court. One of those was Billy Ellerbe, Levi's father.

In September 2017, she was removed from her treatment group for having a "bad attitude," according to the motion. And, in June, she was cited for unspecified inappropriate contact and failure to follow her treatment protocol.

The last items mentioned in the motion are connected to the homicide case. One cites her having an "inappropriate relationship with an individual known to be involved with the selling of narcotics."

The other cites her arrest by the Natchitoches Police Department in the homicide case.

Probation revocation hearing set for mother of burned baby

Barker has a probation revocation hearing on October 10.

 

[MsFacetious]

To know that she set him on fire before 10 and the call didn’t go into 911 until 10:25? And he was still alive at that point...to suffer for that long...I have to stop myself from imagining it as it just makes me too ill and too angry.

I do not understand why he had to be burned alive. Why couldn't he be overdosed first? Or anything more humane than burning alive? I sincerely hope neither of these women ever leave a cell alive. Unbelievable.

 

[Charliegizmo49]

I do not understand why he had to be burned alive. Why couldn't he be overdosed first? Or anything more humane than burning alive? I sincerely hope neither of these women ever leave a cell alive. Unbelievable.

Hopefully his body went into shock pretty fast. But the darkest most evil thing I have ever read is this baby being set afire. There is no reasoning nor understanding something as vile as this by any human.

 

[mpnola]

Hopefully his body went into shock pretty fast. But the darkest most evil thing I have ever read is this baby being set afire. There is no reasoning nor understanding something as vile as this by any human.

I would like to believe that, but they found him because they heard his cries, I think. This is horrific.

 

[MsMarple]

I would like to believe that, but they found him because they heard his cries, I think. This is horrific.

A woman who lived nearby saw the fire and called 911. She didn't know what had happened until she saw the news the next day.

But Levi was found in a fire about 10:20 p.m. after a Natchitoches resident driving home on Breda Avenue, 25-year-old Kanika Johnson, spotted it behind the elevated railroad track that runs parallel to the narrow street.

She reported it, thinking kids might have started it. She didn't find out what really had happened until Wednesday morning.

"I just seen it on fire. I didn't see nobody or nothing," she said. "I just thought some kids might have set it on fire or something. I had called the police and told them to hurry up and send somebody to put the fire out before it spreads."

North Louisiana baby who died after kidnapping, fire to be buried Friday

From her description I don't think she was close enough to hear anything.

Like Charliegizmo said, hopefully Levi went into shock. Third-degree burns can deaden the nerves - survivors often report that they didn't feel any pain until the healing process started.

Damage to the sensory nerves in the skin can mean that third-degree burns may be quite painless as the burned skin lacks sensation to touch.

Burns: treatment of first, second and third degree burns

I doubt that the two murderers gave a minute's thought to what Levi would feel. Their lack of caring is nearly as incomprehensible and horrific as the actual crime. Frikkin' psychopaths.

 

[FlossyMay]

From what I recall, it was first responders that heard Levi crying, not the witness who called in the fire.

This may be the most disturbing case I've ever followed. It's really hard not to have nightmares about this poor baby.

 

[Bjbuck]

This is just horrendous. I think since this article it has been established that the woman got her girlfriend to burn the baby or am I thinking about another case?

 

[cybervampira]

This is just horrendous. I think since this article it has been established that the woman got her girlfriend to burn the baby or am I thinking about another case?

Yes, that’s correct.

 

[MsFacetious]

From what I recall, it was first responders that heard Levi crying, not the witness who called in the fire.

This may be the most disturbing case I've ever followed. It's really hard not to have nightmares about this poor baby.

I hope those first responders are okay. These are the kinds of cases that results in PTSD and suicides.

 

[Charliegizmo49]

I don’t have the thought capacity to find an adequate punishment, Nor someone who could carry it out.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, October 10th:
*Probation Revocation Hearing (@ ET) – LA – Levi Cole Ellerbe (6 mos) (July 17, 2018; died July 18, 2018; kidnapped & burned to death) – only for *Hanna Nicole Barker (22) “mom” arrested & charged (7/28/18) with principle to first-degree murder, meaning “actual perpetrator of the crime” & 1 count of criminal conspiracy. Held without bond. DA will seek DP.
72 hour court hearing, could be 7/27/18; moved to Monday, 7/30.
7/28/18 Update: DA charges Barker with criminal conspiracy.
9/20/18 Update: Motions hearing set for 9/21. One motion is to set bond.
9/21/18 Update: Judge finds probable cause to charge Barker with murder & held without bond. Hearing re revocation of Barker’s probation scheduled hearing on 10/10.
*Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith (25) arrested & charged (7/21/18) & indicted (8/30/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder & charged (7/28/28) with criminal conspiracy. Held without bond. DA will seek DP.
7/25/18 Update: Additional charges are expected for Smith.
7/28/18 Update: DA charges Smith with criminal conspiracy. No new dates available. No updates as of 10/10.

 

[Niner]

Court hearings set in Natchitoches burned baby case

Oct. 15, 2018
The women accused in the burning death of a 6-month-old baby will be in court next week for separate hearings.
[.....]
Barker will be in the 10th Judicial District court on Monday (10/22) afternoon for a probation revocation hearing. She had been placed on probation in 2016 after her arrest on two drug charges.

A hearing last week was continued after Judge Lala Sylvester recused herself because she had overseen Barker's case in drug court.

Barker, 23, has been arrested on a charge of being a principle to first-degree murder. She has not been arraigned or indicted on any charge yet, and she's been in jail since her July 25 arrest.

On Tuesday (10/23), Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith will make her first court appearance in the case. Smith was arrested and later indicted on a charge of first-degree murder.
[.....]
According to Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court records, Smith's hearing is to determine who will represent her. Smith has been declared indigent, which means she'll be represented by a public defender.

 

[MsMarple]

Court hearings set in Natchitoches burned baby case

Oct. 15, 2018
The women accused in the burning death of a 6-month-old baby will be in court next week for separate hearings.
[.....]
Barker will be in the 10th Judicial District court on Monday (10/22) afternoon for a probation revocation hearing. She had been placed on probation in 2016 after her arrest on two drug charges.

A hearing last week was continued after Judge Lala Sylvester recused herself because she had overseen Barker's case in drug court.

Barker, 23, has been arrested on a charge of being a principle to first-degree murder. She has not been arraigned or indicted on any charge yet, and she's been in jail since her July 25 arrest.

On Tuesday (10/23), Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith will make her first court appearance in the case. Smith was arrested and later indicted on a charge of first-degree murder.
[.....]
According to Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court records, Smith's hearing is to determine who will represent her. Smith has been declared indigent, which means she'll be represented by a public defender.

I bet all the public defenders are playing hot potato with these women - IOW none of them wants to defend her. Who'd want the notoriety of being the attorney defending Smith? I'd rather eat glass and I'm not even an attorney!

 

[nicjmartin]

Ugh. Just caught up on this case; I think it was on page 15 last I read it, and it was so troubling to me I just needed a break from the site for a while. I can't even imagine what poor Levi went through. It makes me want to scream. How could anyone do this to another person, especially an innocent little baby like this? I just can't fathom it. can tell this is going to be one of those cases that will haunt me forever. I can't even imagine how those directly involved in the case must feel right now. My heart goes out to them.

 

[Charliegizmo49]

Ugh. Just caught up on this case; I think it was on page 15 last I read it, and it was so troubling to me I just needed a break from the site for a while. I can't even imagine what poor Levi went through. It makes me want to scream. How could anyone do this to another person, especially an innocent little baby like this? I just can't fathom it. can tell this is going to be one of those cases that will haunt me forever. I can't even imagine how those directly involved in the case must feel right now. My heart goes out to them.

I have sympathy as well.

BUT

This baby was left in the care of a mother who obviously had relapsed.

It was no secret on social media that she had priorities other than caring for an infant.

Those close to her had to know it, see it and didn’t care enough to do anything to remove Levi from her care.

And yes I have issues with that fact alone.

 

[cybervampira]

Court hearings set in Natchitoches burned baby case

Barker will be in the 10th Judicial District court on Monday afternoon for a probation revocation hearing. She had been placed on probation in 2016 after her arrest on two drug charges.

A hearing last week was continued after Judge Lala Sylvester recused herself because she had overseen Barker's case in drug court.

Barker, 23, has been arrested on a charge of being a principle to first-degree murder. She has not been arraigned or indicted on any charge yet, and she's been in jail since her July 25 arrest.

On Tuesday, Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith will make her first court appearance in the case. Smith was arrested and later indicted on a charge of first-degree murder.

The bill of indictment alleges that Smith is the one who took the baby, poured gasoline on him and set him on fire before leaving to report for work at IHOP.

 

[Niner]

Monday, Oct. 22nd:
*Probation Revocation Hearing (@ ET) – LA – Levi Cole Ellerbe (6 mos) (July 17, 2018, Natchitoches; died July 18, 2018; kidnapped & burned to death) – only for *Hanna Nicole Barker (22) “mom” arrested & charged (7/28/18) with principle to first-degree murder, meaning “actual perpetrator of the crime” & 1 count of criminal conspiracy. Held without bond. DA will seek DP.
72 hour court hearing, could be 7/27/18; moved to Monday, 7/30.
7/28/18 Update: DA charges Barker with criminal conspiracy.
9/20/18 Update: Motions hearing set for 9/21. One motion is to set bond.
9/21/18 Update: Judge finds probable cause to charge Barker with murder & held without bond. Hearing re revocation of Barker’s probation scheduled hearing on 10/10.
10/10/18 Update: Her probation has been revoked. Has not been indicted or arraigned on any murder charges yet.
10/16/18 Update: Next hearing on 10/22 re probation revocation hearing.
*Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith (25) arrested & charged (7/21/18) & indicted (8/30/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder & charged (7/28/28) with criminal conspiracy. Held without bond. DA will seek DP.
7/25/18 Update: Additional charges are expected for Smith.
7/28/18 Update: DA charges Smith with criminal conspiracy. No new dates available.
10/16/18 Update: First appearance scheduled for 10/23.