St. Cloud Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a teenage boy who escaped custody while being taken to a hearing in Stearns County Wednesday morning.

Lieutenant Jeff Oxten says officers were called to the area of 7th Avenue North and 2nd Street North just after 10 a.m. in reference to a juvenile that had escaped from transport personnel.  The 14-year-old boy was being transported from the Kid’s Peace Mesabi Academy Juvenile Correctional facility located in Buhl,  Minnesota to a court hearing at the Stearns County Court House.

Staff from the correctional facility had just parked their transport vehicle and the boy ran from their custody. He was in handcuffs that were placed in front of his body attached to a brown leather transport belt that was secured around the torso. He was last seen running northbound from the intersection of 7th Avenue and 2nd Street North.

Officers checked the area and used a K9 unit, however at the boy has not been located.

He is described as black, with medium length curly hair, 5’8” tall, approximately 145 pounds and was wearing a green shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes at the time he escaped custody.

He was heading to a court hearing for a gross misdemeanor indecent exposure offense and giving false information to a police officer charge dating back to 2013 in Stearns County. Due to the flight from court a judge has since issued a gross misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.

If you see the teenager you should immediately contact the St. Cloud Police Department so officers can take him into custody.