Inmate slips handcuffs, escapes after jumping from hospital window, police say

MARIETTA, Ga. — Police are urgently searching for an escaped inmate who jumped from a second-story hospital window after slipping out of his handcuffs early Friday morning.

Channel 2's Chris Jose is in Marietta, where the inmate was last seen on the roof of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital around 3:30 a.m.

Police identified the inmate as Jules Jackson, 19, an armed robbery suspect.

Jackson was taken to the hospital after ingesting illegal narcotics Thursday.

Channel 2 Action News first reported Jackson's escape around noon. Since then, we've gotten several tips.

Police say Jackson is potentially armed and dangerous.

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Police said the arrested Jackson Thursday night along with 26-year-old David Roberts. Jackson and Roberts are accused of robbing a man at gunpoint.

Police suspected Jackson had taken a potentially dangerous amount of drugs and rushed him to the hospital for 24 hours of observation.

"He was handcuffed to the bed," Sarah O'Hara with Cobb County Police said. "I do not know how he slipped out of the handcuffs."

O'Hara said there was no officer in the room when Jackson escaped.

"The officer stepped out to handle some business for a minute or two," O'Hara said. "When he returned to the room, a window had been opened and the suspect escaped through the window.

According to Cobb County policy, the officer should have stayed in the room with the suspect the entire time.

Police said the officer's actions, and hospital protocol, are all under review.

The hospital was locked down Friday morning, but the lockdown was lifted after officers didn't find any trace of Jackson.

Neighbors said hearing that an escaped inmate could be in the area is unsettling.

"If he's able to do stuff like that, you never know what else he can do," Demetric Littles said. "You never know what's on his mind, what's on his agenda."

"It concerns me he's on the run, and they weren't able to detain him," Angela Pressley agreed.

Police said they do not know where Jackson may be headed, but sources told Jose he lives near Cumberland Mall. Police were searching that area Friday night.

Anyone with information is urged to call police.

Cox Media Group