UPDATE: One at large, two caught, three accomplices arrested in escape

Woodward Academy escapee still sought

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Woodward Police Chief Joe Cox
Woodward Police Chief Joe Cox

One teenage boy from the Woodward Academy in Woodward remains at large at this hour, and two are back in academy custody, while three other people have been arrested for aiding and abetting the escapees, who fled the facility shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

The remaining at-large runaway is a 17-year-old African-American male wearing gray sweatpants and a blue hoodie sweatshirt, according to Woodward Police Department Chief Joe Cox.

The young fugitive was last seen about 10:30 p.m., moving northward near Iowa Highway 141 and Tanner Lane, the old Moran corner south of Woodward, Cox said.

“Three other individuals have been arrested from this incident for aiding and abetting,” Cox said. “They were helping them get away.”

Cox said his department is investigating whether the escape was planned in advance.

He said the runaways “went to somebody’s house out there in Moran and used their phone to make a phone call to friends in the Des Moines area. Those three who came out to pick them up were arrested for it.”

Cox said the names of the three Des Moines arrestees would be released soon. He said they would likely face charges of interference with official acts.

Cox said the first runaway was caught about 10:45 p.m. by Woodward Academy staff, and “the second one was found by a deputy sheriff” about 11:15 p.m. The boys had split up but were still near the Moran corner, he said. The whereabouts of the third young person are unknown.

“We have a lot of academy staff and law enforcement out, but we haven’t seen any sights of him,” Cox said. “I think he’s either hunkered down for the night and trying to stay warm or is moving toward the Des Moines area.”

Cox said he works closely with the Woodward Academy authorities on incidences of runaways, which occur “probably a couple of times a year.” He said the Dallas County Sheriff’s office and Boone County Sheriff’s office is also assisting in the investigation.

ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.

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