Escaped teen murder suspect caught in Atlantic City

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Michael Huggins arrested in Atlantic City. Press conference outside Atlantic County Superior Court at 2:30 pm today with Prosecutor Tyner and law enforcement officials. 

The original story appears below. 

BRIDGETON - Multiple law enforcement agencies continue searching for a murder suspect among four juveniles who escaped early Wednesday morning from the Harbor Fields Juvenile Detention Facility in Egg Harbor City after allegedly assaulting a guard.

Michael J. Huggins, 18, a resident of Reeves Road in Bridgeton, is the only escapee still at large. The other three were captured Wednesday, though no details have been released on how they were captured.

Huggins is under indictment in Cumberland County on a murder charge. He is accused in the Oct. 7, 2016 murder of 21-year-old DeVante Lee in Bridgeton, which occurred when Huggins was 17.

Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said the search was concentrated in the area of South Woods State Prison on South Burlington Road and Pamphylia Avenue.

More:Millville man sentenced to 15 years for armed robbery

More:Vineland man alleges assault in jail lawsuit

The juveniles in custody are Stephine Woodley, Raymir Lampkin and Donovan Nickerson. No further information is being released on them, including the offenses that put them in the detention center, because they are under 18.

Atlantic County Acting Sheriff Mike Petuskey told The Daily Journal on Wednesday that the juveniles would not return to the detention center but would be lodged in a higher security facility in another county.

Petuskey said the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office would be charging and prosecuting the escapees. Charges are expected to include escape and aggravated assault, he said. The assaulted guard was taken to a hospital and officials say he is expected to be OK.

Petuskey said authorities do not know how the juveniles made it from Egg Harbor City to Bridgeton, since they crashed a car they stole during the escape almost immediately after taking it.

Petuskey referred questions on how the escape was accomplished to the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission. Harbor Fields is a county facility but state government manages it under contract.

Sharon Lauchaire, the public information officer for the commission, was not available for comment Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the juveniles overpowered a guard and drove off in the guard’s car. Two of the escapees reportedly were in their underwear.

Petuskey said the escapees abandoned the car on St. Louis Avenue after striking a Jeep and then a house.

Petuskey said there were no reports of a stolen vehicle that might explain how the fugitives covered the roughly 37 miles to Bridgeton.

New Jersey State Police supported the search effort for Huggins with helicopters, K-9s, and its special operations section’s TEAMS unit.

A number of schools in the Egg Harbor City area were closed Wednesday as a precaution. Petuskey said he firmly agrees that decision was necessary.

According to the Atlantic County website, Harbor Fields at 800 Buffalo Avenue operates under the county Department of Public Safety. It has beds for eight females and 19 males. It accepts youths 12-18 years old.

Joseph P. Smith; @jpsmith_dj; 856-563-5252; jsmith@gannettnj.com