Juveniles back in custody after attempting to escape from custody at courthouse

Two juveniles are back in custody following an attempted escape on Feb. 13 at the courthouse. According to Milam County Sheriff Chris White, at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 13 two juvenile males were transported from the Rockdale Juvenile Detention Center to the Milam County Courthouse for a court appearance before 20th District Judge John Youngblood. White said it was determined that the two subjects were able to remove their restraints during the transport and bolted from the transport vehicle when the deputy opened the door to remove them. Although the transport deputy was unable to keep up with the subjects as they ran, he was able to direct responding law enforcement to the area they were seen running. Sheriff’s Deputies and Cameron Police saturated the neighborhood west of Cameron First Baptist Church between 3rd Street and Batte searching for the juveniles. Approximately 10 minutes into the search, Cameron Police located the two juveniles running near Gillis and South Austin. After a short chase, deputies John Torres and James Pratt captured both subjects in a yard near Gillis and South Jefferson Avenue.

“I am very thankful for the assistance we received from the Cameron Police Department; the fast response from their officers resulted in the quick capture of the two juvenile escapees,” White said. The subjects were taken back to the Milam County Courthouse where Judge Youngblood remanded them to a Texas Youth Corrections facility to serve sentences stemming from their original criminal charges. Upon completion of the investigation, both of the subjects will be facing a new charge of escape. “One of the subjects is seventeen years old, so I expect that when the Texas Youth Commission is finished with him – he will return and be placed into the Milam County Jail to await adjudication for his actions this morning, the other subject is 16 and will probably go back to the Rockdale Juvenile Facility,” White said. White said transport deputy Sam Ferguson injured his leg during his pursuit of the escapees. The injury is reported to be minor and he will return to work next week. There was no danger to the public, though Cameron ISD sent out information that campuses were undergoing lock out procedures as a precaution. That lock out was lifted within a half hour.