Alabama authorities are searching for a corrections officer and inmate who never made it to court

Lacking Assistant Director of Corrections Vicki White broke protocol when she escorted inmate Casey White from jail this morning to apparently take him to the courthouse in Lauderdale County, stated Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton. The inmate and the corrections officer usually are not associated.

Authorities mentioned Casey White was being held on capital murder charges and two sworn deputies ought to have been with him at all times, including during transportation to court docket.

Vicki White coordinates all transports from the detention middle to court docket and due to this fact knew the protocol, the sheriff added.

Singleton stated that though Casey White was supposedly being transported for a psychological well being analysis at the courthouse, they've since learned that no such analysis or different court hearing for him was scheduled for Friday.

"Realizing the inmate, I believe she's at risk regardless of the circumstances... He was in jail for capital homicide, and he had nothing to lose," Singleton said.

Authorities are now looking at all potentialities of what occurred, including if the corrections officer helped Casey White escape.

"Whether she assisted him or not, we don't know, and we cannot tackle that until we have now absolute proof that that's what occurred. We are assuming at this point that she was taken in opposition to her will, unless we are able to completely show in any other case," Singleton added.

Authorities said they're nonetheless looking out and investigating any interaction between the corrections officer and Casey White, in addition to any cellphone calls he had received.

When Vicki White escorted Casey White out of the jail, she informed the guard she was going to drop him off on the court and then go seek medical attention as a result of she wasn't feeling effectively.

The sheriff stated Casey White was by no means dropped off at court docket and Vicki White didn't make it to the place where she said she was going to hunt medical consideration.

Authorities didn't realize they were missing till several hours later.

Her vehicle, a 2013 Ford Taurus patrol automotive, was first spotted in a shopping mall parking zone round 11 a.m. by somebody who was on a lunch break, Singleton said.

Round 3:30 p.m., officers at the jail have been concerned and tried to reach her, but her phone saved going straight to voicemail. They then realized Casey White had not been returned to the jail.

Vicki White has been with the department for 25 years and is eligible for retirement -- which she has talked about doing in the previous couple of months, Singleton added.

"All precautions had been in place. The question we've got for Director White is why she violated coverage," Singleton mentioned.

Casey White is 6'9" tall is being thought-about armed and harmful. Vicki White "was armed with a 9 mm handgun, which implies we're assuming he's armed," Singleton added.