» »Unlabelled » Levi Cole Ellerbe — Baby set aflame, left to die on tracks
2/15/26

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Summary: On July 17, 2018 Levi Cole Ellerbe, a 6-month-old infant, died from severe burns after being set ablaze in Natchitoches, Louisiana. His mother, Hanna Nicole Barker, aged 22, and her girlfriend, Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith, 25, orchestrated the attack, with Smith dousing the baby in gasoline and igniting him. Barker falsely claimed an abduction. Smith received an 80-year sentence, while Barker got 30 years in 2022, reports say.

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NATCHITOCHES, La. (DailyKenn.com) — Authorities say a 6-month-old boy suffered fatal burns in a deliberate act orchestrated by his mother and her girlfriend, leading to lengthy prison terms for both women after a multi-year investigation.

The case began on the evening of July 17, 2018, when Hanna Nicole Barker, then 22, contacted police to report an abduction at her trailer park home. She claimed unknown intruders sprayed her with a chemical agent and fled with her son, Levi Cole Ellerbe. Emergency responders soon received another alert from a passing driver who spotted flames in a roadside ditch roughly a mile away, near railroad tracks off Breda Avenue. Firefighters discovered the infant amid the blaze, with severe second- and third-degree injuries covering about 90% of his tiny body. Medical personnel airlifted him to a hospital in Shreveport, where doctors pronounced him dead early the next morning, July 18.

Investigators from the Natchitoches Police Department and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office quickly unraveled Barker's account. According to arrest affidavits and court testimony, evidence pointed to a premeditated plot. Prosecutors alleged Barker instructed her girlfriend, Felicia Marie-Nicole Smith, to dispose of the child. Smith, 25 at the time, reportedly doused Levi with gasoline and ignited him, causing the fatal wounds.

Smith was taken into custody on July 21, facing an initial first-degree murder charge. Barker followed on July 25, booked as a principal to the crime. A grand jury indicted both in August 2018, with charges upgraded to include conspiracy. District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington's office sought capital punishment for Barker in 2019, citing the brutality against a helpless victim under 12 years old.

Trials faced delays amid legal motions and the pandemic. Smith entered a guilty plea in July 2021 to reduced counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and cruelty to a juvenile. As part of her agreement, she committed to testifying against Barker if needed. Barker maintained her innocence but accepted an Alford plea in May 2022 to manslaughter and conspiracy, avoiding a potential death sentence.

On May 4, 2022, a judge imposed 80 years of hard labor on Smith, with terms running consecutively. Barker received concurrent sentences totaling 30 years without parole eligibility for the first decade. Court records show Barker expressed no remorse during proceedings, while Smith's cooperation influenced her deal.

Family members provided heart-wrenching victim impact statements. Levi's father, Billy Ellerbe Jr., described dashed dreams of teaching his only son to hunt and fish, compounding grief from losing his own father weeks later. Grandmother Kathy Ellerbe recalled the baby's joyful smiles and questioned if more could have been done to protect him. An aunt spoke of enduring nightmares, therapy needs and eroded trust, emphasizing the family's shattered sense of security. Relatives lamented the lack of clear motives, with one stating the pain of unanswered questions would linger forever.

Community members in this northwest Louisiana town expressed outrage over the crime's savagery, according to police reports and local officials. First responders who located Levi described lasting trauma from the scene. Residents held vigils and fundraisers for the Ellerbe family, highlighting widespread shock in a close-knit area unaccustomed to such violence against children.

Prosecutors credited forensic analysis, surveillance footage and interagency collaboration for securing convictions. The case underscored vulnerabilities of infants in domestic disputes, prompting calls for enhanced child welfare checks.

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at February 15, 2026