A 16-year-old student at Wilder Youth Development Center who escaped from state custody in Fayette County was found Monday afternoon, Oakland Police Chief Chris Earl said.
The teenager escaped during a medical appointment at a physical therapy facility in Oakland, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services said Monday.
He was captured without incident at the town’s industrial park, Earl said.
The staff at Wilder believes that the runaway occurred at approximately 9:45 a.m. after the staff brought the 16-year-old and another youth to a scheduled appointment.
The department says they alerted local law enforcement, which is DCS protocol when a youth runs away.
The 16-year-old is from Shelby County and has theft and robbery charges on his record.
At least eight DCS staff members are assisting law enforcement with the search in the Oakland area.
The department is investigating the circumstances around the incident.
Wilder is a DCS hardware-secure facility in Somerville for youth who have been adjudicated delinquent and placed by the courts into state custody.
