Five youths managed to escaped from a Tennessee youth center late Sunday night (May 9), sending authorities on a search to capture them. According to WREG, all five, who are reported to each have a violent history, have been caught.
Officials with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office said five teenagers, between the ages of 16 to 18, escaped from the Wilder Youth Development Center around 11 p.m. Sunday. They reportedly fled the center on foot, escaping through a hole they created in the security fence outside the facility. Law enforcement began receiving reports of a group walking near Interstate 40 and Bernard Road, and when authorities arrived, they managed to take all five into custody without incident.
Per WREG, four of the teens are from Memphis and one is from Selmer, about two hours east of the city. All of the escaped youths are reported to have violent histories, ranging from carjacking and evading arrest to aggravated robbery and assault. Following their capture, they will also face charges for escape and vandalism.
According to the Department of Children's Services, there have been three other escape attempts since April 2019 that have been successful, including when five juveniles escaped in November 2020. The other two attempts were in April 2019, when a youth escaped from an off-campus dental appointment, and in June 2019, when three ran escaped while being transported in a state vehicle.
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