PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — An 18-year-old has been charged with helping a 17-year-old detainee escape police custody while at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Wednesday, police said.
Michael Diggs, 18, has been charged with hindering apprehension, escape, use of a communication facility, and criminal conspiracy in connection with the escape of Shane Pryor , 17.
Pryor has been in police custody since he was 14, awaiting trial for an alleged murder in 2020. He was transported from the Juvenile Justice Services Center to CHOP on Wednesday for a hand injury. Police said he escaped from escorting staff just before noon. Officials said he was not handcuffed.
Pryor was seen on surveillance video in one of the hospital’s lobbies asking an employee at the desk if he could use a phone. He was denied and left.
According to police, Pryor moved on, and someone eventually let him borrow a phone. He allegedly called Diggs for a ride.
Officials initially believed Pryor stole a pickup truck but now say he was picked up by Diggs in a cream-colored Ford. Officers intercepted the car on Wednesday and took Diggs in for questioning.