The escape of ten inmates—many facing serious charges—from a New Orleans jail raises concerns about potential inside help. One inmate has been recaptured, while the search for the remaining escapees intensifies.
New Orleans Jail Break Raises Suspicions of Inside Help
New Orleans Jail Break Raises Suspicions of Inside Help
A midnight escape of ten inmates from the Orleans Parish Jail has led authorities to suspect staff involvement, with one recaptured while a manhunt for the others continues.
In a startling incident, ten inmates, including several charged with murder, escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail in New Orleans during the early hours of Friday morning, prompting suspicions of staff complicity. The escape occurred around midnight, with the whereabouts of the inmates discovered missing during an early morning headcount at 08:30 local time (13:30 GMT).
During a press briefing, Sheriff Susan Hutson stated, “There's no way for anyone to get out of this facility without help,” emphasizing the complexity of the escape. Although authorities initially reported that 11 inmates had fled, they later clarified that the number stood at ten, one of whom has since been recaptured.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office posted images revealing the escape route, including messages allegedly left behind by the inmates, one notably reading “To Easy LoL.” Police managed to recapture one escapee, identified as Kendall Myles, after utilizing facial recognition technology. He was located huddled beneath a car in a parking garage of the French Quarter and has been rebooked with an additional charge of Simple Escape.
The authorities noted that the inmates made their daring exit by forcibly removing the sliding door of their cell and breaking a toilet from the wall to access a piping fixture. They created a gap in the wall, slipped through, and made their way down a wall before fleeing across a highway. Furthermore, images shared by the sheriff's office show clean cuts on the metal bars surrounding the escape route, indicating a planned operation.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick labeled the situation as "urgent and serious," advising the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. The names and photographs of the remaining escapees have been made public, as victims connected to several of them are being informed. The search efforts are being supported by the FBI and U.S. Marshals, while Sheriff Hutson warned that anyone assisting the escapees would face charges.
The Orleans Parish Jail is located near the heart of the city, approximately 3 km (2 miles) from the bustling French Quarter, raising concerns about public safety as the search for the remaining prisoners continues.
