ST. LOUIS — A 17-year-old murder suspect escaped from the St. Louis Juvenile Detention Center on Saturday evening, court officials confirmed Sunday morning.
The suspect had been detained at the facility since Dec. 8, 2023. He faces second-degree murder and first-degree assault charges for an Oct. 24, 2023, homicide that happened in the 4200 block of Shreve Avenue. Officials are not releasing the suspect's name because he's a juvenile.
Police dogs searched the area near the detention facility and found the suspect's shirt outside the building, sources tell KSDK's Christine Byers. Surveillance footage showed that he escaped through the parking garage by rolling under a security gate. He was last seen walking north on Vandeventer Avenue.
Police checked his last known address but he wasn't there.
According to a statement from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, court staff called police and provided information about the suspect immediately after the escape, which happened around 6 p.m.
"Court staff are reviewing how the juvenile escaped," the statement said.
He was last seen wearing green pants, a gray shirt, and black and white shoes, sources said. He has a swollen lip and a black eye.
5 On Your Side has asked police and the Judicial Circuit multiple times to release the escapee's name or his picture due to the public safety concern. They've told us they cannot due to him being a minor.
The 20-year-old victim killed in the October shooting was Calvin Kelly, police said. He was found with a gunshot wound to the head. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Kelly died.
Kelly's mother, Naiesha Stewart, spoke only with 5 On Your Side on Sunday, and she strongly disagrees with the decision to withhold the suspect's name after what she saw on Oct. 24 in Penrose.
"My baby was lying on the ground, trying to gasp for his breath," Stewart said.
Her son was shot and killed outside a market on Shreve in North St. Louis. Stewart was nearby and ran to his side.
"He's got blood clots and everything else coming out," Stewart said. "I was just talking to him like, 'Calvin, breathe. Calvin, I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side.'"
Stewart says she found out on social media that her son's accused killer had escaped.
"I'm pissed," Stewart said. "I'm pissed off because somebody is supposed to be watching this little boy 24 hours a day, and he gets to escape? That's not fair. That's not justice."
This isn't the first time something like this has happened at this facility or, the detention center on Hogan Street. 5 On Your Side has reported on more than a dozen teens getting away from the facilities since 2021.
Stewart is questioning the security levels of the center as she continues to grieve.
"My son had to be cremated because it was hard to come up with the money to bury my son," Stewart said. "All I have to go by today on this day right now is just his pictures. Or just looking at his ashes. It's not fair. It's not right."
When asked repeatedly by 5 On Your Side why more information about the escape has still not been released as of Monday, the reiterate it is because he is a juvenile.
Missouri Law Statute 211.321 makes juvenile court records confidential.
Director of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Saint Louis University, Dr. Dyan McGuire said police can file a court order to get documents with identifying information even though he is a juvenile.
When talking about police filing such a court order, "they either haven't been successful yet, I mean possibly they tried and we just don't know they tried," McGuire said, "or they've decided not to. Now, why might they decide not to? They might be concerned about vigilantism. This is a case that has people pretty upset. So they might think that, well, if the person's name is released that might cause even more problems."
If you have any information about the 17-year-old murder suspect, you're asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
This is a breaking news story. Check back with KSDK.com for the latest updates.