Key update on jail break fiasco which saw murderers make daring escape

THE LAGS AT THE ORLEANS PARISH JAIL YANKED OPEN A FAULTY CELL DOOR, MOVED THE TOILET AND SLITHERED THROUGH THE HOLE IN ONE OF THE LARGEST JAIL BREAKS IN RECENT US HISTORY 01:04, 21 May 2025

A maintenance worker has been arrested after allegedly turning off water to a toilet covering a hole in a cell wall - allowing 10 prisoners to escape jail on Saturday. Murderers were among

the inmates who managed to flee the Orleans Parish Jail in New Orleans, Louisiana, in one of the largest prison breaks in recent US history. Six criminals remain at large. The group yanked

open a broken cell door, moved the toilet and slithered through the hole in the daring operation. Sterling Williams, a maintenance worker who has now been detained, has claimed one inmate

threatened to "shank" him if he did not turn off the water. The 33-year-old man also alleges another lag tried to take his phone and tried to get him to bring a book with cash app

information. But Williams is charged with 10 counts of principle to simple escape and one count of malfeasance in office, with a $100,000 (£75,000) bond per count. Article continues below

Councillor Oliver Thomas, of New Orleans City Council, told reporters the sheriff’s office has a responsibility to protect employees, and create a safe environment for them to report threats

and other problems. Cllr Thomas said: "We cannot allow the inmates to run the facilities. That can’t happen. We cannot allow them to threaten the men and women who work there."

The inmates left graffiti on the wall at which they exited the cell. It included the message "To Easy LoL," with an arrow pointing to the gap. Officials have underscored multiple

security lapses, including ineffective cell locks and that the inmates escaped when the lone guard monitoring them went to get food. The absence of the inmates, many charged with or

convicted of violent offenses such as murder, was not reported to law enforcement for hours. Four have since been apprehended. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in her statement

that Williams "admitted to agents that one of the escapees advised him to turn the water off in the cell where the inmates escaped from". She added: "Instead of reporting the

inmate, Williams turned the water off as directed allowing the inmates to carry out their scheme to successfully escape." Article continues below But on Tuesday, Orleans Parish Sheriff

Susan Hutson, who oversees the jail, said she takes "full accountability" for the escape. She continued: "There were procedural failures and missed notifications, but there

were also intentional wrongdoings. This was a coordinated effort aided by individuals inside our own agency who made the choice to break the law. We are continuing to pursue everyone

involved." The sheriff's office released images of the hole in the wall, which shows what the piping fixture looked like before the toilet was ripped out. The photos note that

"there are clean cuts" on the metal bars.