A disturbance at a juvenile detention facility in Southern Berks County leading to the discovery that 9 residents had escaped Sunday night, September 17th.
Pennsylvania State Police Reading, in collaboration with several local law enforcement agencies, quickly responded to the incident, which took place at Abraxas Academy in New Morgan Borough, around 8:00 PM.
According to State Police, upon arrival, initial units helped to quell the disturbance. It was at that time Abraxas staff realized that 9 of their residents were missing.
An investigation determined that two female staff members were accosted in an effort to get their keys. The escapees were seen running out of the building into the rec yard. They found a way to get under the fencing of the yard. A contingent of municipal police officers and troopers from the region responded to search for the escapees.
Around midnight police responded to Estate Drive in Morgantown for the report of a window broken out of a car at the residence. This location was about 5 miles from Abraxas. Police responded but were unable to locate the actors.
At 5:47 AM Monday, September 18th, police responded to a residence on Oak Grove Road in Morgantown, where 4 of the escapees were located after they knocked on the door because they were cold and wet. This location was about 4 miles from Abraxas.
At 6:36 AM police responded to Oak Grove Road in Morgantown, for a reported theft of a truck and trailer. Another unit was enroute and got into a short pursuit with the reported stolen vehicle. The 5 remaining escapees were in the truck. Initially 4 of them were taken into custody and one fled into a nearby field. The 5th escapee was quickly taken into custody in an adjacent field. This location is about 4 miles from Abraxas.
State Police say all 9 escapees will be charge accordingly to coincide with the offenses they committed while on the run.
