US jail official helped 'extremely dangerous' inmate escape, say authorities

euronews.com:

US authorities believe an Alabama jail official helped an “extremely dangerous” murder suspect escape prison. 

Inmate Casey Cole White, 38, was shackled and handcuffed when he and Vicky White, the facility's assistant director of corrections, left the Lauderdale County Detention Center in Florence, Alabama, on Friday morning. 

They have not been seen since, although the patrol vehicle the pair used when leaving the detention centre was found at a nearby shopping centre car park. 

Authorities have no idea where they are, although the inmate should be recognisable by his size. He is 2.06 metres tall and weighs about 118 kilograms. Authorities warned anyone seeing the pair should not approach them.

“We consider both of them dangerous and, in all probability, both individuals are armed," US Marshal Marty Keely said at a press conference on Monday. He noted that Casey White “will stand out” because of his size, even if he has changed his appearance.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said they had issued an arrest warrant for Vicky White, 56, on charges of permitting or allowing an escape. She is not related to Casey White, who was serving a 75-year prison sentence and awaiting trial on a capital murder charge.

Vicky White told co-workers she was taking him to the courthouse for a mental health evaluation. But Singleton later said no such evaluation was scheduled. She also violated a policy that required more than one official to be involved in transporting inmates, a rule that officials emphasised for White because he had previously tried to escape, Singleton said. The sheriff said a video showed the pair left the jail and went straight to the shopping centre car park. 

“We know she participated, whether she did that