$12,500 offered for tips that find escaped teen in Nashville

Authorities are now offering a total of $12,500 for information leading to the capture of a teen who escaped a Tennessee juvenile detention centre last month. In addition to $2,500 being offered by the state Bureau of Investigation, Youth Opportunity Investments, the company that operates Nashville’s juvenile detention centre, has pledged $10,000 for information leading to 17-year-old Brandon Caruthers, news outlets report. He escaped the centre last month with three other juveniles, who have already been caught.

A report by the private contractor detailed policy violations that led to the escape. Employees allowed the youths out of their cells after bedtime and then left them unsupervised, it said. Once left alone, the teens got onto an elevator that was improperly left open and tricked the operator into sending them to an unsecured floor. Staff did not immediately call 911, according to the report.

Nashville’s juvenile court administrator, Kathryn Sinback, said the four involved employees are being fired. It’s unclear when their terminations go into effect. Authorities say Caruthers should be considered armed and dangerous. His 2018 armed robbery case has been transferred to adult court.