13-Year-Old Who Escaped Police Custody Turned In By His Family

The 13-year-old boy who managed to escape police custody is back behind bars after his mother turned him over to U.S. Marshals. The teen, who was only identified as Jericho W., had been held in the Cumberland Regional Juvenile Detention Center since October 14 on charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Jericho managed to escape from social services' custody following an appearance at Robeson County Courthouse in Lumberton, North Carolina. He was wearing leg restraints and did not have any shoes but was able to evade authorities' attempts to capture him. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety decided to release his photo despite the fact he is a juvenile because there was "a high degree of concern for the safety of both the juvenile and the public."

Jericho ran towards nearby train tracks and followed them to his uncle's house. He managed to removed the leg shackles and spent the night hiding in the woods. When he arrived, his uncle, Wayne Lambert, allowed him to take a shower and get cleaned up before calling the U.S. Marshals Service. Once he had put on a change of clothes, his mother, Nikki Jacobs, drove him to their office, and he was taken back into custody. 

“I just thank God that he came home to me, and I was the one that could put my hands on him before the officials did, or anybody else would hurt this child because he’s not a very bad kid," Lambert told WRAL reporter Julian Grace. "He’s a respectful child."

Lambert said the boy did not want to go back to jail, but he convinced him it was the right thing to do.

"When I seen him, I said, 'Baby, you know what we got to do.' He said, 'Daddy, I don’t want to go back.' I said, 'I know you don’t, baby, and daddy don’t want to take you back, but you’re going to have to go.' I said, 'Do you understand me?' He said, 'Yes, sir.'"


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