A Louisiana grandmother has been arrested and charged with a felony after allegedly aiding her grandson, one of five inmates still on the run following a dramatic jailbreak at a New Orleans jail.
On May 16, 2025, 10 inmates at the Orleans Justice Center escaped through a hole carved out behind a toilet while a lone guard was reportedly away from the unit, the Daily News reported. The group managed to dismantle a sliding cell door and fled the facility in the early morning hours.
The breakout wasn't discovered until a headcount later that morning. The incident triggered public scrutiny and internal investigations, leading Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson to suspend several staffers and pause her re-election campaign.
Connie Weeden, 59, was arrested in Slidell and charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact. According to Louisiana State Police, Weeden had been in communication with her grandson, Jermaine Donald, both before and after the escape.
Investigators say she also sent Donald money through a mobile app while he remained a fugitive. Donald, 43, is wanted on multiple charges, including second-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
Weeden is the third civilian arrested in connection to the escape. Two other suspects, Cortnie Harris and Corvanntay Baptiste, were previously charged for allegedly providing support and transportation to other escapees.
As of Friday morning, five inmates remain at large: Donald, Derrick Groves, Antoine Massey, Leo Tate, and Lenton Vanburen Jr. Law enforcement agencies at every level are continuing their search and warning the public that aiding escapees is a serious crime.
