Louisiana’s Jail Crisis: Another Inmate Flees, Just Days After NOLA Break

While police are still searching for several of the inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail, another Louisiana jail has experienced a surprisingly similar breakout. Questions about public safety have been racing in the Bayou State after these jail breaks happened less than a full week apart.

Louisiana's Latest Jailbreak: Authorities Missed Tangiphaoa Inmate Escape

On Thursday, May 22, authorities told the public they were conducting a manhunt in Tangipahoa Parish after a 19-year-old inmate was missing for an inmate headcount.

The authorities involved had not even realized Tra'Von Johnson had made his escape until hours after, when the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office says they got a call from a concerned citizen who wanted to know if the 19-year-old was still in custody.

After jail authorities realized Johnson had escaped, they were able to determine that Johnson escaped with the help of another inmate who lifted him over the fence at 4:30 pm that day. Not only is this the second jail escape in less than a week for Louisiana, but it's Tra'Von Johnson's second time escaping custody.

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Echos of NOLA: Double Jailbreaks in Louisiana

On Friday, May 16, the public was informed that ten inmates had escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail. As of May 21, five of the escapees had been placed back into custody. The kicker to the entire situation is that the New Orleans jail officials weren't aware of the escape until hours after it happened.

Twice now in not just one year, not just one month, but one week has someone escaped a Louisiana jail, and the public servants in charge didn't have a clue until they were long gone.