Two juveniles caught after escaping Mansfield center

Two teens who walked away from a facility in Mans field were captured by law enforcement Monday night.

The boys were arrested on suspicion of second degree escape after reportedly escaping from the Mansfield Juvenile Treatment Center on Monday, according to Capt. Philip Pevehouse of the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. A news release from the Arkansas Department of Human Services identified the escapees as Jayger Harmon, 17, and Conner Grist, 14.

Pevehouse said the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old having escaped from the center at 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 still under construction and scaled the old fence. Staff members who saw the boys walk away and pursued them were unable to catch them.

At 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 taken to the Sebastian County Juvenile Detention Center in Fort Smith.

No other crimes were reported to have been committed by the boys, according to Pevehouse. The release states the Division of Youth Services is investigating the incident.