Two teenagers accused of murder escaped over the weekend from a youth jail in Louisiana, less than two weeks after one of them fled the same jail for the first time earlier in November, police said.
Both murder suspects, who are 17 years old, escaped late on Saturday night from the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center. Exactly how they managed to escape was not immediately clear, but officials said in a news release that they were investigating how the escape occurred. Baton Rouge police and the U.S. Marshals Service have launched a search.
Escaped Teens Identified in Baton Rouge
The Baton Rouge Police Department has identified the escaped teens as David Atkins and Willie Jackson. Jackson was being held at the jail on a first-degree murder charge through the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, according to CBS affiliate WAFB-TV. Atkins, who was being held on a first-degree murder charge through Baton Rouge police, previously escaped from the juvenile detention center on Nov. 13. Atkins and another detainee fled as guards were putting prisoners back in their cells after a fight broke out in the facility, as reported by The Advocate. They were apprehended after a search that lasted more than 24 hours.
"We want the public to be cautious as they may have changed their hairstyles. We are encouraging those that may see them that may know their whereabouts or may actually be out and about just witness these individuals out in the community to not hesitate to call 911 or Crime Stoppers," said Cpl. Saundra Watts, a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge police, according to WAFB.
"If we do not get down to figure out a way to get this done, we're going to continue to have more escapes that we ever have. Now we're dealing with juveniles that are extremely violent. We're talking about first degree murder, this is just unacceptable," Hillar Moore, the East Baton Rouge District Attorney, told WAFB on Sunday.
Prisoner Escape and Fight in East Baton Rouge Parish
In 2021, a disturbing incident occurred in East Baton Rouge Parish. Five prisoners managed to escape after overpowering a staff member. They took her keys and locked her inside a cell without access to a radio. Additionally, some of the prisoners attacked other staff members using makeshift knives. This dangerous situation raised concerns about the security measures in place at the facility.
Following this escape, another violent incident took place in February 2022. A fight involving eight teenagers resulted in three of them sustaining injuries. This event further highlighted the need for improved security within the East Baton Rouge Parish.
In response to these troubling incidents, the parish authorities took action. They allocated $2 million towards security upgrades. However, as of November, the upgrades were still in the planning and design phase, according to parish officials.
