A 17-year-old murder suspect, who had previously evaded authorities after escaping from a youth detention center in Louisiana, made another successful getaway on Saturday, this time with a fellow 17-year-old murder suspect, according to police reports.
The two individuals, both facing murder charges, managed to escape from the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center. Officials released a statement indicating that an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the escape. Local law enforcement, in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service, has initiated a search operation to locate the fugitives.
One of the youths involved in the escape had previously broken free on November 13. During that incident, the teenager, along with another detainee, fled as guards were in the process of returning prisoners to their cells following a disturbance in the facility. The escapees were eventually apprehended after an extensive search lasting more than 24 hours.
The East Baton Rouge juvenile facility has faced criticism due to recurring escape incidents and instances of violence, as reported by The Advocate. In 2021, five prisoners managed to escape after assaulting a staff member, seizing her keys, and confining her inside a cell without communication equipment. Some of the escapees also attacked staff members using improvised weapons. In February 2022, an altercation involving eight teens resulted in injuries to three of them.
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Acknowledging the security concerns, East Baton Rouge Parish allocated $2 million for enhancements to the facility’s security measures. However, as of the escape in early November, officials stated that these upgrades were still in the planning and design phase.