2 teen escapees caught, reports say

Two teenage boys who walked away from a youth treatment facility in Mansfield were captured by law enforcement officers Monday night.

The boys were arrested on suspicion of second-degree escape after reportedly fleeing from the Mansfield Juvenile Treatment Center on Monday, Capt. Philip Pevehouse of the Sebastian County sheriff’s office said Tuesday.

A news release from the Arkansas Department of Human Services identified the youths as Jayger Harmon, 17, and Conner Grist, 14.

Pevehouse said the sheriff’s office received a report about the boys having escaped from the center about 6 p.m. Monday.

The sheriff ’s office, Arkansas State Police, and the Mansfield and Huntington police departments all responded to the incident.

The Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Youth Services is currently building and upgrading the fence at the center, according to the release.

While most of the fence is built, Harmon and Grist walked through an area that was still under construction and scaled the old fence, the release said.

Staff members who saw the boys walk away, pursued them but were unable to catch them.

About 10 p.m. Monday, Pevehouse said a Mansfield police officer noticed who he believed were the two boys along Arkansas 378 south of Mansfield.

Harmon and Grist were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Sebastian County Juvenile lockup in Fort Smith.

No other crimes were reported to have been committed by the boys, according to Pevehouse.

The release states that the Division of Youth Services is investigating the incident.