Woman in Natchitoches La Set Baby on Fire

Hanna Nicole Barker was arrested July 25 on a charge of beingness a chief to first-degree murder in the death of 6-month-old Levi Cole Ellerbe.

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Hours after the accused'south probation was revoked Friday, a Natchitoches Parish approximate found in that location was likely cause to charge Hanna Nicole Barker in connection with the burning death of her infant son and that she should be held without bond.

Equally 10th Judicial District Courtroom Estimate Desiree Dyess made her ruling, Barker swiveled in her chair at the defense tabular array and shook her head. Before she was led out of the courtroom, she tearfully mouthed, "I dear yous," to family members sitting in the gallery behind her.

Barker was arrested July 25 on a charge of existence a principal to first-degree murder in the death of half dozen-calendar month-old Levi Cole Ellerbe. She has not been indicted, although a Natchitoches Parish grand jury has heard details of the case.

During Friday'due south preliminary examination hearing, the state laid out its show confronting the female parent, who will turn 23 on Sept. 25.

Barker accused of arranging death

The only witness was Lt. Jeremy Swisher, the Region 5 supervisor for the Louisiana State Burn Align'due south Office. Under questioning from Natchitoches Parish Assistant District Attorney Cliff Strider, he said it was Barker who approached Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith about killing Levi.

Smith, 26, has been indicted on a get-go-caste murder charge. The beak of indictment states she took Levi from his dwelling, abandoned him in a wooded area, poured gasoline on him and ready him on fire before leaving for her job at IHOP near Interstate 49.

Levi was found with second- and third-caste burns over xc percent of his body. He died hours afterward, early on on the morning of July 18, at a Shreveport infirmary.

As Swisher described the scene, Barker cried and gasped.

The ii women had an "intimate, sexual human relationship," testified Swisher, although he said Barker related in an interview that she was only using Smith for attention and money.

He testified Smith told investigators Barker came to meet her at IHOP earlier on the twenty-four hour period Levi was taken. Barker asked Smith if she loved her and if she would practise annihilation for her, even if it meant going to jail, Swisher said.

He said Smith said Barker asked her to kill the baby, and Smith initially refused. But she agreed presently after to practice it.

Barker told Smith to shoot the baby, who was just days away from turning 7 months old, Swisher testified. Smith said she couldn't because her gun was jammed. Swisher said they found a gun — jammed because someone loaded a bullet backwards — at Smith's home.

Barker then told Smith she wanted the baby burned "until he was bones," Swisher testified. Barker told her that would get rid of testify, he said.

The merely potential motive alluded to were some comments plain made by Barker, who talked nearly the difficulties of being a single female parent. Strider later pointed to similar comments she fabricated while in drug courtroom.

Defense: No evidence to connect Barker

Barker's defense attorney, Dhu Thompson, argued that the only evidence the land has against Barker is Smith'due south statement. He said there'due south zip else — no texts, no phone calls, no witnesses — that can back upward Smith's claim.

Thompson asked Swisher if it was true Smith swore she'd "exercise something crazy" if Barker ended their human relationship. Swisher testified Barker said Smith was much more invested in the relationship than she was and that the two hadn't talked for some time earlier Levi's death.

Thompson repeatedly asked Swisher nearly his thoughts to Barker's reaction at the initial law-breaking scene and during her interviews. Swisher testified Barker didn't cry.

"Different people act differently in traumatic situations, correct?" asked Thompson, and Swisher agreed.

Just Swisher also testified that some people interviewed by investigators called Barker "a compulsive liar" who was very manipulative. Some said they could believe Barker might be involved in Levi's death.

Some of those people were members of Billy Ellerbe'south family. Swisher said they learned Barker and Ellerbe, who met while both were in drug courtroom, had an estranged relationship. The ii were civil, despite an unspecified incident, because of Levi, he testified.

The baby was their only connection, although some people interviewed idea Barker still wanted a relationship with him, said Swisher.

Swisher also testified that other people told investigators they couldn't believe Barker would be involved in Levi'due south death.

Thompson asked Swisher if in that location was any testify that showed Barker had been at the scene where Levi was found or that she was involved in his called-for. Swisher said no.

Changing stories

Swisher said ii 911 calls were received on the dark Levi disappeared — the first from ane of Barker's landlords and the 2nd from Barker, both received within 30 seconds of each other. He testified Barker was screaming someone had taken her baby, but that she ran from the trailer earlier that had happened.

Swisher called the offense scene at the trailer "staged," cartoon disagreement from Thompson. Swisher testified that the dorsum window of the trailer was smashed in, but not completely broken. He too said a bar in the middle of the window was bent, but remained in place.

Fingerprints and blood on the shattered window were traced to Smith, he testified.

Swisher likewise expressed doubt on Barker's claim she had been sprayed in her face up with pepper spray. He said it couldn't be detected at the trailer and Barker wasn't suffering any "obvious discomfort," no swelling of her eyes or redness.

He said Barker was interviewed 3 times before her arrest. Each time, her story changed, he testified.

"She was lying, initially," he said, changing her story to brand herself more than credible.

While Thompson asked Swisher if that could be considering Barker had had time to reverberate on what happened, Strider had another explanation. He asked Swisher why information technology was of import to note Barker kept irresolute her story.

Swisher said that showed investigators Barker was irresolute her story to fit what they knew. He testified that, at one point, Barker claimed Levi'southward father, Billy Ellerbe, might have been involved. Just she dropped that when she learned Ellerbe had a solid alibi, he said.

But Thompson said Smith was the only 1 who had a motive — the finish of the women's human relationship — and she admitted to the crime. He said the only reason Smith is implicating Barker is "to salvage herself and get a amend deal in this case."

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Source: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/woman-burned-north-louisiana-baby-to-death-because-mom-asked-her-to-official-says/85-598138475

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