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9 juveniles recaptured after escaping from Pennsylvania detention center

Nine youth Sunday night escaped from the Abraxas Academy, located in Morgantown, Pa. Photo courtesy of Abraxas Academy/Website
Nine youth Sunday night escaped from the Abraxas Academy, located in Morgantown, Pa. Photo courtesy of Abraxas Academy/Website

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Nine juvenile inmates from Pennsylvania are back in custody Monday morning after they escaped from a youth detention center on Sunday, worrying residents again about a manhunt.

The escape at the Abraxas Academy in Morgantown, Pa., and search occurred 15 miles from where authorities took convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante into custody last week following a two-week manhunt. Cavalcante had escaped from the Chester County Prison and then eluded law enforcement.

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In Sunday's escape, juvenile inmates, ranging from ages 15-17, overpowered two female guards during a riot, stole their keys, escaped out a side door and crawled under a fence, authorities said.

Four of the inmates turned themselves in after knocking on the door of a home some 4.5 miles from the detention center at about 5:47 a.m., EDT Monday.

"They basically gave up because they were tired, they were cold," said State Police Trooper David Beohm. "Those woods are a far cry from the streets of Harrisburg or Philly."

Police captured the remaining five nearby at about 6:30 a.m. after they received a tip about a stolen truck and trailer.

Berks County District Attorney's Office told UPI in a statement that all nine will now be charged with theft by unlawful taking for incidents that occurred outside of the academy during their attempt to flee the facility.

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No other information on the escape or the riot was made available other than the Caernarvon Township Police Department stating in a statement late Sunday that local and state law enforcement were at the academy where they "have taken back control of the juvenile detention center."

According to its website, the Abraxas Academy houses "delinquent male youths between the ages of 14 to 18 in 9th grade or above."

The escape comes less than a week after Cavalcante was recaptured in the same region of Pennsylvania. Cavalcante had escaped Aug. 31 from the Chester County Prison.

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