Video shows 10 inmates breaking out of Orleans Parish Jail; manhunt intensifies as only three are caught
A brazen escape unfolded early Friday at the Orleans Parish Jail in New Orleans, where 10 inmates broke free through a hidden hole in a cell wall and fled across an interstate highway, sparking a massive manhunt that remains ongoing.
Surveillance footage, released by authorities, reveals the inmates swiftly climbing from their first-floor cell, then scaling a fence with blankets to shield themselves from barbed wire. They dashed across the busy highway to a nearby neighbourhood, where they changed clothes and vanished into the city.
Officials confirmed the video feed was not being actively monitored at the time of the breakout. Instead, it was reviewed hours later when the missing inmates were discovered during a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m. A female civilian employee responsible for monitoring the pod reportedly “stepped away” to get food, missing the entire escape.
Three jail employees have since been placed on administrative leave as investigators probe the circumstances around the breakout. The escape route involved a large rectangular hole concealed behind a toilet in a first-floor cell. Inmates had scrawled taunting messages like “Too Easy LOL” and “WE ARE INNOCENT” near the hole.
Corrections Chief Jeworski “Jay” Mallett said the hole could not have been made from the inside, pointing to a possible inside job. “We are investigating who had access to these areas, what work was done, and whether this was facilitated by someone inside,” he explained.
The inmates escaped from a minimum-custody section of the jail, with several facing violent charges, including murder.
Authorities cited glaring security flaws at Orleans Parish Jail, including faulty cell doors and critically low staffing levels—only 60% of positions were filled. At the time of the escape, four supervisors and 36 staff were overseeing approximately 1,400 inmates.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described the situation as “urgent and serious” and urged the public to report any suspicious activity immediately.
Of the 10 escapees, three have been captured. Kendell Myles, charged with second-degree murder, was found hiding beneath a car in the Hotel Monteleone parking garage and returned to custody with a new charge of simple escape. Later, Robert Moody and Dkenan Dennis were also apprehended; the former was caught thanks to Crime Stoppers tips, and the latter was near Chef Menteur Highway.
The remaining fugitives remain at large, with law enforcement agencies working around the clock to track them down.
This dramatic escape has raised serious questions about jail security in New Orleans and exposed critical weaknesses in inmate supervision, sparking calls for immediate reform to prevent further breaches.
