A Zen room, a metal pole, a couch: How police say teens escaped Lincoln facility

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Court documents filed on Monday shed light on how three teenagers managed to escape from state custody.

About 7 p.m. on Friday night, three teenage boys broke out of the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Lincoln, police said.

The escape began when a 15-year-old inmate asked a staff member to let him in a Zen room so he could practice a “coping skill,” according to an affidavit.

But what happened next was anything but Zen, police allege.

After the staff member shut the door and turned away, the teen started banging on a window in the room with a metal pole, the affidavit says.

A 17-year-old and a 16-year-old inmate then “demanded” that the staff member unlock the door, according to court records.

She did, and the two teens rushed past her and into the Zen room.

The 15-year-old then put down the pole, which was later determined to be part of a TV wall mount, and started hitting the window with a couch instead.

He then peeled the glass apart and “screamed” at the staff member to get out of the Zen room, the affidavit says.

The three teens went through the broken window and ran away from the building, police said.

The staff member told police that she didn’t stop them because she feared for her life.

After their escape, the teens stole a car and drove to Omaha, authorities said.

They were captured late Friday night after leading law enforcement on a chase, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

The 15-year-old was convicted of second-degree murder in juvenile court.

The other two teens were in custody on charges ranging from obstruction of a peace officer to burglary to assault.

They now face charges of escape, which is a felony.