Davidson County Juvenile Detention Facility, Tennessee
November 30, 2019
Four prisoners escaped from the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Facility by running out the front door while guards were distracted. A fight broke out elsewhere in the prison, causing the guard posted to the future escapees to leave the area. A staff member left the elevator door open, and the four fled through the elevator and out the front door.
A police officer claims they probably had help fleeing once outside the prison. Multiple staff members were put on leave due to “critical oversights” according to the County Juvenile Court Administrator. By December 3, news broke that three prison employees would be fired related to the escape.
Also on December 3, one of the escapees was placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list, and two were apprehended by the Juvenile Crime Task Force and Gang Unit just north of Nashville.
Davidson County Juvenile Detention Facility is operated by the for-profit contractor Youth Opportunity Investments.
At least 19 prisoners have escaped from juvenile detention facilities in Middle Tennessee in 2019, not including 15 that attempted to during an uprising in September 2019.
Citations:
“19 teens escape Middle Tenn. detention centers in 2019“, WKRN.com, December 5, 2019.
“4 teens escaped from Nashville detention center because of management company mistakes, officials say”, CNN, December 2, 2019.
“Four teens escaped from juvenile detention in Tennessee. Two of them are murder suspects, police say”, CNN, December 1, 2019.
“Review of Tennessee juvenile facility escape underway“, AP News, December 2, 2019.
“Report says employees will be fired in juvenile escape“, Channel 3 News, December 3, 2019.
“Two out of the four teens who escaped a Tennessee juvenile center captured by authorities“, Fox News, December 4, 2019.
Article published: 12/3/2019. Updated: 12/6/2019.
Header Photo Source: abcnews.com