ST. LOUIS — Four teens escaped a secure youth center Thursday afternoon, police confirmed.
The teens, between 16 and 18 years old, escaped Hogan Regional Youth Center at 1839 Hogan Street.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police are investigating.
This is the latest in a string of incidents involving the Hogan Regional Youth Center and juvenile detainees at a different facility on Enright Avenue.
The Hogan Regional Youth Center is run by the State of Missouri. The St Louis City Juvenile Detention Center on Enright Avenue is run by the St. Louis Circuit Court.
Earlier in April, eight teens caused a disturbance at the Hogan Regional Youth Center that left one youth leader injured and caused $10,000 in damage.
Prior to this incident, at least nine juveniles have escaped the Hogan facility in two incidents since last July. Since last September, a total of about a dozen teens have gotten out of the Enright Avenue facility over four escape incidents.
The most recent escape attempt happened at the Enright Avenue facility on April 10. "A number" of juvenile detainees tried to escape, but none of them were successful.
Juvenile authorities have resorted to asking judges to send certain minors to adult detention facilities. One 15-year-old who made repeated escape attempts from multiple facilities was approved to be moved to the City Justice Center.
Juvenile advocates oppose the move, saying children in adult facilities are more likely to offend again.
The judge in the case approved the move as he is, “larger and stronger than most his age and has demonstrated through his actions that he has the ability to overwhelm physically the youth leaders responsible for him in juvenile detention.”
The judge also wanted the state to present a plan that will offer the teen the same access to services and support that he would get in a juvenile setting.