TULSA, Okla. — A day after our last report on inmate escapes, a fourth inmate walked away from a prison in Hominy.
That marked four — four inmate escapes across Oklahoma in three months.
WATCH: 2 News continues asking for answers about inmate escapes
Kyle Vacin walked away from Dick Conner Correctional Facility on Feb. 25 and was captured on Feb. 26, according to the Department of Corrections.
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Three escapes in three months: Who is responsible for inmate escapes?
All four inmates have been captured, but the question of how this keeps happening and who is responsible for making sure it doesn't happen again, remain.
2 News submitted open records requests to both the DOC and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
From the DOC, we asked for:
- Written transport policies
- Escape and walkaway data over the last 24 months
- Staffing numbers
- Incident reports
- Written communication, policies and procedures between outside agencies
- An interview
The only response we've been given in clarification that two of the four inmates that escaped were not in their custody.
WATCH: 'Unacceptable': Escaped inmate Joshua Butler's mother demands answers
From OSDH, we asked:
- What authority OSDH has over jails
- At what point would they step in
An OSDH spokesperson responded and said OSDH has no authority to conduct an investigation regarding an inmate escape — but facilities are required to report an escape to OSDH.
If no report is made to the OSDH Jail Division, actions would be inconsistent and in violation of the Oklahoma Jail Standards Act, they said.
OSDH said they are required to be notified no later than the next work day of the following incidents:
- Extensive damage to detention facility property
- Serious injury to staff or an inmate defined as life-threatening or that requires transfer to an outside medical facility
- Escape
- Serious suicide attempts defined as life-threatening or that require transfer to an outside medical facility
- Death
2 News asked since OSDH wouldn't be responsible for investigations, if they knew who would, but didn't receive a reply.
We also asked if the jails were in compliance in notifying OSDH of escapes, but didn't receive a reply by the time this story aired.
2 News then reached out to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to ask if they would be the ones to investigate an inmate escape.
A spokesperson said they would only get involved if requested — and so far they have only been asked to assist in one of the four escapes.
2 News reached out to the governor's office for comment, but did not hear back.
This story will be updated once open records requests are fulfilled.
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