During the journey, the women, who were handcuffed but not shackled, managed to open the back doors of the Ford Taurus they were traveling in. This feat was accomplished while the vehicle was stopped at a stoplight on Mifflin Road, despite the fact that the back seat was caged with barred windows and doors that were not supposed to open from the inside.
The Allegheny County Sheriff's Office has expressed bewilderment at how the women were able to breach the security measures in place, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the transport protocols. Authorities are now conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the escape and to identify any potential lapses in the system.
The search proved to be a race against time, with the authorities working tirelessly to locate the escapees. Their efforts paid off when Cunning was found in a wooded area off Mifflin Road around 6 p.m. on Friday. The capture of Cunha, however, proved to be more challenging, as she had managed to evade the police for several hours.
It wasn't until around 9 p.m. that Cunha was finally apprehended at a home on Lawndale Avenue in McKeesport. The successful recapture of both women was a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the law enforcement agencies involved in the operation.
Authorities have indicated that the new charges will likely include escape, resisting arrest, and potentially other related offenses. The severity of these charges underscores the gravity of the situation and the consequences of their actions.
The incident has sparked a wider discussion about the security measures employed during prisoner transport and the need for continuous improvement to prevent such escapes from occurring in the future. Law enforcement agencies are now reviewing their protocols and exploring ways to enhance the safety and reliability of the transport process, ensuring that similar incidents do not happen again.