Runaway El Dorado teens back in custody

Pair caught hours after walking off

MAGNOLIA -- The older of two youths who escaped from South Arkansas Youth Services early Monday morning has been charged with terroristic threatening and fleeing and will be going to the South Arkansas Youth Services Detention Facility.

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No charges have been filed as of Tuesday against the younger boy.

Jerry Walsh, South Arkansas Youth Services' executive director, said late Monday morning that the two runaways, in the age 15-16 range, were both from El Dorado. Walsh verified that the two boys knew one another, but they cannot be identified because of their ages.

The older boy had been charged with commercial burglary and was awaiting trial. Walsh said authorities will be looking at the younger boy's record, but stated that he had no history of violence.

Walsh said the two youths walked away from the shelter around 4:30 a.m. Monday, after a bed check. Staff members were immediately alerted, a search parameter was set up and law enforcement was notified.

Around 8 a.m., both boys were spotted on Arkansas 82 going toward El Dorado at Columbia County Road 25.

"We tried to get them to come to the truck, " Walsh said. He said the boys "talked to me, but they went in the woods."

At that time, South Arkansas Youth Services' dog team was called in from Lewisville. The Columbia County sheriff 's office and Magnolia Police Department set up a parameter on Arkansas 82 at the intersections of Columbia 25 and Columbia 36.

Searchers went into the woods, and the dog team arrived and began working the area. About an hour later, the runaways were spotted on Columbia 36.

"Again, I got them to come to the truck," Walsh said. At this time, the younger boy gave himself up, but the older boy did not and ran back into the woods.

When the second youth was apprehended, Walsh said he was wearing shorts with no shirt, and socks but no shoes.

In January, two youths who escaped from South Arkansas Youth Services were charged as adults with kidnapping, aggravated residential burglary, aggravated robbery, terroristic threatening and theft of property over $25,000 after abducting a Magnolia woman and releasing her in Prescott.

State Desk on 07/30/2014

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