HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A convicted sex offender who police considered to be dangerous escaped a mental health facility on Monday and was caught hours later, but the public was not notified until nearly 10 hours after his escape.
A call came into Cabell County 911 at 12:01 p.m. Monday. A nurse called to report James Ryan Yost, a convicted sex offender being held at River Park Hospital for reason of insanity, had taken off from the facility.
“I’m a nurse at River Park. One of our forensic patients ran and we need help getting him back,” the nurse said.
The nurse told 911 about the seriousness of the situation.
“He’s been known to make a lot of shanks here, he’s threatened us with shanks, and he’s had the shanks to do it. He’s also a sex offender,” the nurse said.
The call to 911 came in at 12:01 p.m. Monday. But it was not until nearly 10 hours later, at 9:41 p.m., that Huntington police sent a press release alerting the public that Yost had escaped and was on the run.
Some parents who live nearby did not get word until Tuesday morning, a day after Yost had escaped.
“I usually check my phone first thing in the morning, and that’s when I saw what had happened,” said Nikki Chase. “And it was right, it’s right here. So, you could almost just, I mean, you could throw a ball and hit the hospital back there,” said Nikki Chase, who lives in Huntington.
Yost was caught Tuesday morning and arrested.
Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins declined an interview request. In response to questions about why the public was not notified until almost 10 that evening and what the protocols are for when something like this happens, Watkins said in part, “We try to share info as fast as we can when it helps protect the community or generates leads for our investigations. We work as quickly as possible, and we’re always reviewing our responses to make sure we’re constantly improving.”
West Virginia State Police said they were first notified at 3 p.m. by Huntington Police that Yost had escaped and started searching for him. But they did not issue a press release until 10:30 p.m.
Cabell County Prosecutor Jason Spears said the case raises public safety concerns and is calling for a full investigation into how this happened.
“Our community deserves clear answers. We must understand what occurred, identify any breakdowns in procedure, communication, or security, and take the necessary steps to ensure that this does not happen again,” Spears said in a statement. “Public safety is not optional — it is a fundamental responsibility we owe to every citizen.”
Neighbors said the incident has left them concerned.
“Yeah, it makes me think if somebody were to break out of there again or leave again and they’re that type of offender,” Chase said. “What’s going to happen next? What are the police department going to do about it?”
River Park Hospital said in a statement, “At River Park Hospital, the safety, dignity and well-being of those entrusted to our care are our highest priorities. Yesterday, we experienced a situation in which a resident left our facility without authorization. Our team responded immediately by informing local law enforcement.”
The judge set a $25,000 cash bond for Yost.
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