Washington authorities are searching for five boys who they say assaulted multiple staff members at Echo Glen Children's Center before stealing a car and escaping from the juvenile detention center.
in Snoqualmie is a medium/maximum security facility that is not fenced, but is bordered by natural wetlands.In the last decade there have been at least three other inmate escapes at Echo Glen that have prompted calls for better security at the facility.
Back in Sept. 2012, six boys ages 14-15 knocked a female security guard unconscious with a frozen water bottle. According to, they then locked her up and stole her keys and radio. The escape appeared planned in advance – the boys were carrying packed bags when police caught up to them, and one of them had even stuffed his bed to make it look like he was still in his room.
In Dec. 2018, two teens at Echo Glen made a brief escape – a 14-year-old serving time for a gang-related murder and a 16-year-old who was in for robbery. According to But the Department of Children, Youth & Families, the agency that oversees Echo glen, also confirmed to FOX 13 News that they will also be looking at staffing levels in relation to the prison break: "DCYF, like many other employers across the state, has had workforce challenges in recruitment and retention."