An intense multi-agency search ended with two escaped juvenile detainees back in custody after they fled a South Jersey detention center and disappeared into nearby woods, prompting warnings for residents to lock their doors.
EGG HARBOR CITY, N.J. — Two juvenile males who escaped from the Harborfields Juvenile Detention Center on Saturday were captured following a large-scale, multi-agency search that stretched across Atlantic County, according to Atlantic County Sheriff Joseph O’Donoghue.
The two juveniles, described by the sheriff as one Black male and one Hispanic male, escaped while being transported at the detention facility. O’Donoghue said the pair climbed over a wall before fleeing.
Police issued a public alert after the escape, urging residents in the area to lock their doors while officers searched for the fugitives.
According to the sheriff, at least one of the juveniles suffered scratches while climbing the wall and was bleeding. Residents reported seeing a male running along Bremen Avenue with visible injuries.
O’Donoghue said both juveniles are from Camden County and were being housed on the side of the facility overseen by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. Because they are juveniles, no additional information about their backgrounds was released.
The search involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including police departments from Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township.
The Ocean City Police Department also deployed its drone team to assist in the search.
According to O’Donoghue, the drone helped officers locate the escapees in a wooded area near numerous homes, contributing to their capture.
The sheriff said the operation demonstrated strong cooperation among law enforcement agencies across county lines. He also noted that the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office recently acquired its own drone and is training personnel to operate it.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances of the escape or the juveniles’ return to custody.
Key Points
- Two juvenile detainees escaped from Harborfields Juvenile Detention Center in Egg Harbor City before being captured.
- Police from multiple agencies, including an Ocean City drone team, assisted in the search.
- Residents were urged to lock their doors while officers searched wooded areas near homes.
