NEW ORLEANS — In a daring overnight escape, ten inmates broke out of the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans on Friday, slipping through a hidden passage behind a toilet and leaving behind taunting graffiti that read, “Catch us when you can” and “Too Easy LOL”, reported by US media news.
The inmates, described as violent offenders, used a small window in a maintenance area to scale a wall and flee the facility. Their absence was discovered during a routine morning headcount. A witness later reported seeing a group in orange jumpsuits running across Interstate 10 under the cover of darkness.
Their escape has exposed serious flaws in the jail’s security. About one-third of the security cameras are not working, and only one staff member was present to monitor the unit—who had briefly stepped away to get food. The second guard scheduled for the shift was absent.
Sheriff Susan Hutson confirmed that an internal investigation is underway. Three staff members have been suspended, and authorities believe the escape may have involved help from inside. The plumbing fixtures, officials noted, could only be removed from outside the cell.
Due to ongoing renovations, high-risk inmates were being held in minimum-security conditions, making the jailbreak easier. The facility is also suffering from staffing shortages, operating at just 60% capacity.
The mocking messages left by the inmates have embarrassed jail officials and shocked the public. As law enforcement intensifies the manhunt, Sheriff Hutson has vowed to hold accountable those responsible for the escape and the oversight.
“This was a failure of systems and staffing,” she said. “But we will find them.”
As of now, all ten escapees remain at large, and the search continues.
