'Dangerous' Child Sex Offender Escapes from St. Louis County Hospital on Foot

The convicted child sex offender who escaped on Thursday morning was found by the police later that evening

A convicted child sex offender who escaped from a St. Louis hospital on Thursday morning has been found by the police.

On Thursday evening around 8 p.m. local time, the St. Louis County Police posted on X, formally known as Twitter, that Tommy Wayne Boyd was captured on the 7300 hundred block of Watson Road, in St. Louis, Mo.

Boyd, 45, was receiving medical treatment at Mercy Hospital South when he walked out of the medical center. While at the hospital, he was accompanied by two correction officers. He was last seen by the hospital staff on Thursday morning at 3:54 a.m. local time, and it was speculated by the authorities he escaped the hospital at 4:30 a.m. and headed in an unknown direction.

According to NBC 5's On Your Side, the inmate escaped while one of the correction officers was asleep and the other went to the bathroom. The felon was able to take the keys to his handcuffs from the sleeping guard.

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The convicted child sex offender is an inmate at Potosi Correctional Facility. According to online records, Boyd is serving a 30-year sentence for enticement of a child.

He is listed on the Missouri sex offender registry after being convicted of statutory sodomy. Boyd committed statutory sodomy in 1996 in Springfield, Missouri. He was 18 years old and his victim was an 11-year-old boy, reported ABC News.

Related: Murder Suspect Escapes Prison Using Bed Sheets After Evading Capture for Weeks

At the start of the manhunt, the police classified Boyd as "dangerous."

"We're urging residents to remain vigilant as our officers search for Mr. Boyd," the St. Louis County Police wrote on X. "Be sure your homes and garages are secure. Watch children at bus stops."

Missouri schools, The Mehlville School and Lindbergh Schools, released statements notifying students and their families that they would implement lockout procedures. Schools remained in session and only indoors, but any additional extracurricular activities were canceled. The schools have announced everything will return to normal for Friday classes.

During the manhunt, the St. Louis County Police announced they were searching for Boyd with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the State Department of Corrections, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Special Response Unit, the K-9 Unit, and the Metro Air Support.

Related: Police Capture Escaped Prison Inmate Who Was on the Run for Over a Week in Pennsylvania

In addition to the police’s official statement, Mercy Hospital released a statement during the manhunt. "Police searched [the] campus and our security team searched all buildings on campus and found no evidence he is still here," said the official statement. "We continue to assist St. Louis County Police in their search and investigation."

After Boyd was captured, the police tweeted, "Thank you to the media and our community who provided numerous tips to assist in locating this dangerous felon. Our residents are safer tonight with Boyd in custody.”

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