Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton says authorities believe an Alabama corrections officer “willingly” participated in an inmate’s escape.
During an appearance on “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts asked Singleton if he knew Vicki White personally and what was said about her behavior leading up to her disappearance.
Singleton told Roberts he knew Vicki White, adding, “She was very well liked, respected, a hard worker, an unblemished record for the 17 years she’s been with this sheriff’s office and it’s just really a shock and devastating to all of her co- workers and to myself.”
When asked how he discovered she was involved in the escape, Singleton replied, “The pieces of the puzzle just came together.”
He explained, “I think all of our employees and myself included were really hoping that she did not participate in this willingly. But all indications are that she absolutely did.”
Singleton said authorities were “very disappointed in that because we had the utmost trust in her as an employee and as an assistant director of corrections.”
Watch Singleton’s comments below:
“I think all of our employees … were really hoping she did not participate in this willingly but all indications are that she absolutely did.”
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 4, 2022
Lauderdale County Sheriff details manhunt for corrections officer Vicki White and escaped inmate Casey White. https://t.co/NMPqT8qwyi pic.twitter.com/j0i50sd0bn
Roberts went on to ask Singleton how authorities discovered Vicki White had a romantic relationship with the inmate, Casey White.
“We know they had a relationship. He was in our facility back in 2020 for his arraignment on the charges he’s facing now. He was returned to the department of corrections and we know that they maintained contact while he was in the department of corrections up to and including until he was returned here February 25 of this year,” Singleton said.
CNN reported an arrest warrant has been issued for Vicki White on charges of permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.
As the outlet noted, Vicki White and Casey White “went missing Friday morning after she said she was taking the inmate to the courthouse before going to seek medical attention because she wasn’t feeling well.”
The pair reportedly never arrived at the courthouse and she did not report to the medical facility.