A prisoner, convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, has escaped from Chester County Prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last week according to a police statement, as reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday.
Prison authorities have revealed that the prisoner, Danelo Cavalcante, scaled the prison walls at 08:51 a.m. in a ‘crab-walk’, climbing two walls by pushing against both of them, before charging through barbed wire and crossing the roof of the prison before escaping. Only at 09:45 did officers notice a missing inmate and begin a roll call which confirmed Calvalcante’s absence.
“We will thoroughly review all of our practices, and policies and make improvements as appropriate”
Howard Holand, prison warden
An officer was stationed in a guard tower overlooking the prison yard but “did not observe nor report the escape,” Howard Holland, the prison warden, revealed in a press conference. The officer is under investigation as part of the search.
Holland confirmed that efforts are being made to increase security in the prison and that more barbed wire will be added to prevent access to the roof, alongside more security cameras. A guard will also be stationed in the prison yard when it is in use by prisoners.
This is not the first such escape attempt from the same prison this year. In May, another inmate was spotted attempting to scale the walls in a similar way to Calvalcante. Officers who witnessed the attempt prevented it from occurring. Additional barbed wire was also added after the first attempt.
The seal of the US Justice Department is seen on the podium in the Department’s headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)“We will thoroughly review all of our practices, and policies and make improvements as appropriate,” Holland said.
Manhunt underway
A large manhunt is underway to locate the escaped convict. A search area was opened in Pocopson Township before being shifted south when a trail cam picked Cavalcante in the nearby Longwood Gardens, prompting the closure of schools in the area.
Cavalcante has been described by authorities as having long curly black hair, brown eyes, and standing at five feet tall. A reward has been offered of $20,000 for information leading to his capture.
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