Police helicopter footage captures moment escaped inmate is found hiding
A Michigan inmate has been found after escaping from jail and hiding in a wooded area, as newly-released helicopter footage captures the moment he was located.
State police were ordered to dispatch a helicopter over a swampy wooded area of the state on Monday (October 26), after inmate Casie Jo Helsel, a 44-year-old man, escaped Crawford County Jail at 1:30pm local time.
Helsel has an extensive criminal record, including assault and battery charges, and reportedly escaped the prison via a door that was propped open.
He was found and returned to the jail just over two hours later at 3.58pm, with helicopter footage released by Michigan State Police showing the moment he was located.
Advert
The helicopter circles above numerous trees before it zooms in on a heat signal crouching amid bushes and debris.
And it wasn't his first time escaping prison.
A member of the team could be heard noting that 'his MO is to hunker down, whether it be in the water, under a dock or at a stream on the edge and just wait 'till night'.
The voice recording continued: "You guys are almost standing on top of it. What we're seeing, heat-wise. We got him. We got him."
State police praised those who worked to swiftly locate the prisoner, as they added: "Great work by all who worked together to safely take the suspect into custody."
It's currently not thought that the person who left the door propped open did so to help Helsel escape.
And following the unexpected incident, the sheriff noted that his office will be conducting a detailed review of policies and procedures to prevent similar scenarios in the future.
Records from the Michigan Department of Corrections show that Helsel has a criminal history spanning more than 25 years, including three previous prison sentences and two parole sentences.
And he's not the only inmate in the US to break free this week.
In Tennessee, 28-year-old killer Jacob Allen Morley is still missing, after escaping from the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville on Sunday night (October 25).
A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
Morley received a life sentence in 2025 after killing of his co-worker, and was not eligible for release until December 2083.
He reportedly escaped the facility by scaling the perimeter of the prison and traveling two miles to a farm, where he stole a vehicle.
Mia Williams