Fort Pierce - Thursday March 7, 2024: A 19-year detainee in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice who walked away from HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce on the evening of February 1, has been found and placed back in custody.
Justice J. Reynolds was apprehended Wednesday by the U.S. Marshalls Service in Orlando, according to a news release from the Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD).
An investigation into his escape found that Reynolds had mislead hospital staff saying he had come to the hospital voluntarily, and was not in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
In fact, Reynolds was under supervised release from a juvenile commitment program and had been transported, in custody, from New Horizons of Treasure Coast to Lawnwood Hospital for treatment.
When Reynolds escaped from their custody, Fort Pierce police were called and asked to help find him. Because of his criminal background, and his status as an escapee, the U.S. Marshals Service got involved leading to his detention in Orlando yesterday.