BURLINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) – The teen who escaped from the hospital after the sheriff says an 11-year-old boy cut him during a home invasion is now in custody, officials say.
The Orange County Sheriff says a tip led Burlington police to 19-year-old Jataveon Hall on Sunday.
RELATED: 11-year-old boy talks about using machete to stop Mebane home invasion
Burlington police arrested Hall at his mother and stepfather’s home, deputies said. Hall, the suspect in a Friday Mebane home invasion, walked out of the hospital before he could be taken into custody Friday night.
“Thank God and I hope that as my mother used to say that ‘they put him under the jail’ because I would be worried about that young man and hopefully the word’s out in the criminal community don’t go to Yarborough Road,” said neighbor Patricia Hook.
The sheriff’s office says Hall was receiving treatment after being cut by 11-year-old Braydon Smith during the home invasion.
Deputies say Hall had broken into the boy’s home on Yarborough Road, put him in a closet, and was in the middle or ransacking the home when the boy hit him.
“He found my phone on the counter and he took the phone, but he dropped it and that’s when I picked up my machete and hit him in the back of the head,” said Braydon Smith.
It wasn’t until the sheriff’s office called to check on Hall Saturday morning that anyone noticed he was missing from UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. Hospital staff told CBS 17 the sheriff’s office did not have any deputies monitoring Hall.
“I don’t know why would put any trust in that person to be law abiding and honest and on TV they handcuff him to the bed,” said Hook. “I’m not sure why that wasn’t done. He injured his head not his arm.”
The sheriff’s office refused an on camera interview with CBS 17, but they did send several statements including one from Chief Deputy Sykes that reads in part: “We will institute policy changes necessary to protect the public in situations like this … when Hall left the hospital Friday evening against medical advice, we certainly should have been notified.”
Hall was seen on video leaving the hospital at 7:54 p.m. Friday wearing a hospital gown, blue socks, and carrying what appeared to be a cup of water, a news release said.
Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said earlier Sunday they established a close patrol in the area of Smith’s home for protection until Hall was arrested.
Hall is now being held in the Orange County Detention Center on a $100,000 secured bond. Hall will have his first appearance in court on Monday at 2 p.m. at the Orange County courthouse.
