Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Teen Who Escaped From Westwood Lodge Found at South Station

A 16-year-old escaped the hospital on Thursday morning after stealing an employee badge.

A 16-year-old male who walked away from early Thursday morning was found at South Station before noontime.  

Massachusetts State Police assisted with a K-9 unit at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday to search for the teen, who allegedly walked away from the hospital after stealing an employee badge to do so, according to a State Police statement.  

In addition to a K-9 unit, State Police assisted Westwood Police with a State Police Air Wing.  

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The male was found at South Station in Boston by members of the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section at about 11:30 a.m. 

The and was found hiding under the porch of a local resident. 

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Westwood Police and Westwood Lodge have been conducting .

Update (1:30 p.m.): The teen involved in the incident allegedly assaulted a female nurse at Westwood Lodge at 3 a.m. Thursday, according to a Massachusetts State Police statement Thursday afternoon. 

During the assault the teen was able to steal the employee's key card to the facility, which he then used to escape the building. 

While this is hardly the first incident of a patient escaping from the hospital, the majority of escapees tend to leave the facility on foot during a break outside the building, Westwood Police Chief William Chase said, adding that taking an empoyee's key card is rare.

"There have been occasions where patients have bolted from the staff and were able to get out, but measures have been taken to improve the security so that they really can't do that," Chase said. "This is the most recent one where this patient faked some type of illness or injury and when the nurse went to examine him he grabbed the lanyard that was around her neck and was able to get ahold of her card access badge and use that to open the door."

At about 10:40 a.m. Thursday, Westwood Police obtained information indiciating the teen may have taken the train into South Station, to which State Police responded and found the suspect. 

Upon seeing State Police Troopers, though, the suspect ran off, and after a brief foot chase, the troopers were able to apprehend the teen, who may be summonsed to court on charges stemming from the escape, according to State Police.


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