Alabama authorities are searching for 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, mentioned Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton. The inmate and the corrections officer are not related.

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

Vicki White coordinates all transports from the detention center to court docket and subsequently knew the protocol, the sheriff added.

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

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

Authorities are actually looking at all prospects of what occurred, together with if the corrections officer helped Casey White escape.

"Whether she assisted him or not, we don't know, and we won't deal with that till we've got absolute proof that that is what occurred. We are assuming at this point that she was taken against her will, until we will absolutely prove otherwise," Singleton added.

Authorities said they are nonetheless searching and investigating any interplay between the corrections officer and Casey White, as well as any cellphone 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 at the court and then go seek medical attention as a result of she wasn't feeling properly.

The sheriff said Casey White was never dropped off at courtroom and Vicki White did not make it to the place where she said she was going to hunt medical consideration.

Authorities didn't understand they were missing till a number of hours later.

Her automobile, a 2013 Ford Taurus patrol car, was first noticed in a shopping mall parking zone round 11 a.m. by someone who was on a lunch break, Singleton stated.

Round 3:30 p.m., officers at the jail had been concerned and tried to achieve her, but her phone 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 last few months, Singleton added.

"All precautions have been in place. The query we have for Director White is why she violated policy," Singleton said.

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.