Alabama authorities are trying to find a corrections officer and inmate who never made it to court docket

Missing 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 will not be related.

Authorities stated Casey White was being held on capital homicide fees and two sworn deputies ought to have been with him at all times, including throughout transportation to courtroom.

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

Singleton said that although Casey White was supposedly being transported for a psychological well being analysis on the courthouse, they've since discovered that no such evaluation or other court docket hearing for him was scheduled for Friday.

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

Authorities at the moment are all potentialities of what happened, together with if the corrections officer helped Casey White escape.

"Whether or not she assisted him or not, we do not know, and we won't deal with that until we have now absolute proof that that's what happened. We're assuming at this level that she was taken in opposition to her will, unless we can completely prove in any other case," Singleton added.

Authorities mentioned they are nonetheless searching and investigating any interplay between the corrections officer and Casey White, as well as any phone calls he had received.

When Vicki White escorted Casey White out of the jail, she told the guard she was going to drop him off on the court after which go search medical consideration because she wasn't feeling well.

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

Authorities didn't understand they had been lacking until a number of hours later.

Her automobile, a 2013 Ford Taurus patrol car, was first spotted in a shopping center parking zone around 11 a.m. by somebody who was on a lunch break, Singleton said.

Around 3:30 p.m., officers on the jail had been involved and tried to reach her, but her telephone stored going straight to voicemail. They then realized Casey White had not been returned to the jail.

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

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

Casey White is 6'9" tall is being considered armed and dangerous. Vicki White "was armed with a 9 mm handgun, which means we're assuming he is armed," Singleton added.