A pre-dawn jailbreak at a New Orleans correctional facility has ignited a wide-scale manhunt and prompted serious scrutiny over the Orleans Parish jail’s security infrastructure in the United States.

Ten inmates escaped early Friday morning by exploiting a concealed hole behind a toilet, a breach that went undetected for more than eight hours.

According to authorities, of the ten, eight inmates remain at large.

Among them are four men facing second-degree murder charges: Corey Boyd, Lenton Vanburen, Jermaine Donald, and Derrick Groves.

The escape began shortly after midnight, at approximately 12:22 a.m., when the group manipulated a cell door mechanism, gaining access to a neighboring cell.

From there, they slipped through a hole in the wall hidden behind a toilet, according to officials from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Once outside their housing unit, the inmates navigated through a loading dock, scaled a barbed-wire perimeter fence using blankets fashioned into makeshift climbing tools, and fled toward nearby railroad tracks and the interstate highway system — vanishing into the early-morning darkness.

Orleans Parish Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick acknowledged progress in the unfolding investigation but warned that much work remains.

“We have made progress,” she said, referencing the re-capture of three escapees.

Kendell Myles — who was awaiting trial on charges of attempted second-degree murder— was discovered hiding beneath a vehicle inside a parking garage at a French Quarter hotel.

Robert Moody was also taken into custody later the same day, though authorities have not released further details regarding his apprehension.

A third escapee, Dkenan Dennis, was located and detained near Chef Menteur Highway.

Initial confusion surrounded the number of escapees, with early reports suggesting 11 inmates had broken free. Officials later clarified that one of those individuals had been relocated to another cell prior to the incident and was not part of the escape.

In a troubling revelation, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson confirmed that jail staff did not become aware of the escape until the 8:30 a.m. headcount—over eight hours after the inmates had vanished.

Law enforcement agencies at the state and federal levels were alerted soon after, and the New Orleans Police Department received notification at approximately 10:30 a.m.

The delay in detection, the method of escape, and the possibility of insider assistance have raised urgent questions about oversight and vulnerability within the jail.

An internal investigation is now underway to determine whether the escape was facilitated by staff negligence or deliberate complicity.

In the meantime, local and federal agencies continue to coordinate search efforts. Residents are being urged to remain alert and report any suspicious activity as the manhunt for the remaining fugitives continues to widen.