UPDATE: A fourth of the five youth detainees who escaped from the Wilder Youth Development Center has been apprehended, according to the Fayette County Sheriff’s office. Law enforcement in Christian County, Kentucky located the fourth escapee.
FCSO said only one escapee remains at large. The one escapee that is still at large is from the Johnson City area of Tennessee and is not believed to be in West Tennessee at this time.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — We’re learning more about the five juvenile offenders who escaped from the Wilder Youth Development Center in Fayette County and the adults accused of helping some of them.
Laletha Irving, Sharda Jeffries and Asha Franklin are charged with permitting or facilitating the escape of three teenagers from Wilder Youth Development Center. Fayette County deputies say all three women are related to the boys and knew they were escapees, but didn’t report them.
Authorities found Jeffries’ son hiding in her home at a North Memphis apartment complex on Howell Avenue.
WREG went to the neighborhood where one of the boys was captured and spoke to neighbors who say they want more information released on the teens. Many people we spoke to say they weren’t aware of the situation until we told them.
“We have children that live around here, and that particular person could be walking up and down our streets and our neighborhoods and we would’ve never known until you told me about it,” said Willie Nason, who lives around the corner.
Since their escape, law enforcement has refused to identify the boys due to their age.
Nason said that’s a problem, since he’s recently seen an increase in new faces in the neighborhood.
“We should know these kinds of things. If you’re a criminal, you’re a criminal,” he said.
One of the boys remain on the run. Sources tell he is either 16 or 17 and have been charged with violent crimes.
If you have any idea where they may be, you are encouraged to immediately contact authorities.