NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Police arrested two of the four teenagers who escaped from a Nashville Juvenile Justice Center over the weekend outside an apartment complex in Madison, Tennessee.
Police Lt. Blaine Whited said Metro Nashville police obtained "very strong information" that led them to Madison's Robin Hood Condominiums. Gang unit detectives "saturated that area" at about 8 p.m. and spotted Decorrius Wright, 16, and Calvin Howse, 15, in the parking lot.
Officers took them into custody after a brief foot chase. Whited wouldn't describe the information that led them to the Madison parking lot, and he would not say where the teens had been since they ran out the front door of the juvenile justice center in downtown Nashville on Saturday night.
Wright and Howse were taken to police headquarters for questioning. Police spokesman Don Aaron said Wright refused to talk to investigators; an officer walked out of headquarters with Howse at about 10:30 p.m.
The two youths returned to the juvenile detention center they escaped days ago. Juvenile court administrator Kathy Sinback said they would be housed separately from other juveniles and away from each other.
"I feel relieved. I'm glad, so glad, he's OK," Howse's mother, Danielle Horton, said after their capture. She said police had not gotten in touch with her before announcing they had the teens in custody.
Police continued to search for the other two teens, Morris Marsh, 17, and Brandon Caruthers, 17.
The private contractor that manages the juvenile detention center said critical errors made by four employees made the Saturday night escape possible. Three of those employees will be terminated and one will be suspended, according to an internal report.
Sinback said the private company, Youth Opportunity, "has assured us they have properly secured all parts of the facility and that ... corporate staff are working closely with facility staff to ensure all policies are being followed. ...
"Juvenile Court has communicated our concerns to YOI about any of the four staff members being allowed back in the facility, including the supervisor in charge of the facility at the time of the escape who failed to call 9-1-1 immediately in accordance with the contract."
Authorities had been looking for the teens since they escaped Saturday night. Two of the teens are accused of criminal homicide and all four had been considered dangerous, police said.
Police were told the four teens were on a work detail when their supervisor left them to address a fight. They got on an elevator, rode to the ground floor, went through several doors and exited. The police department was notified about 35 minutes after they escaped, police reported.
Wright is accused in the February shooting death of Nashville musician Kyle Yorlets.
Marsh is accused in the April 8 fatal shooting of Charles Easley, 19.
Caruthers and Howse both have armed robbery and gun possession charges in their arrest history.
Caruthers' 2018 armed robbery case was transferred to adult court.
Follow Natalie Neysa Alund on Twitter: @nataliealund
