Authorities in California say a 15-year-old boy accused of killing his own mother has escaped from a juvenile facility.
According to the New York Post, Ike Souzer was able to scale a fence outside of the detention center in Orange County on Friday and escaped the premises on foot.
He is described as 200 pounds and about 6 feet tall, last seen wearing a white shirt and red pants.
A tweet from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office indicates he could be injured and “may have a laceration to his left leg.”
Souzer, who reportedly has autism, was first incarcerated two years ago after his arrest on suspicion of stabbing Barbara Scheuer-Souzer and leaving her in the yard where she died, as reported by the New York Daily News.
Orange County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Peters held a press conference on Friday, citing “the nature of his charges” as the reason for widely disseminating news of his escape.
Garden Grove Police Lt. Carl Whitney added that Souzer’s trial was set to conclude in coming days and “could be why this happened now.”
As of the latest updates available, he remained on the loose. County probation officers and sheriff’s deputies were reportedly coordinating the search.
Police say he has known ties to the counties of Orange and Riverside.
An online fundraiser cited the victim’s “unconditional love and commitment” that “helped her son go from non-verbal to verbal status.”
@OCSDPIO Surveillance video shows the suspect from the @OCProbationDept Juvenile Hall escape. Investigation is ongoing. If you SEE Ike Souzer, please call 911. #JHEscape pic.twitter.com/TtlCZ8xeJF
— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) April 12, 2019
[Featured images: Ike Souzer/Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Barbara Scheuer-Souzer/Facebook]
