BBBTV12 – Authorities are searching for four teenagers who escaped from the Roane Academy facility late Tuesday night. According to Chief Deputy Tim Phillips of the Roane County Sheriff’s Department, the escape occurred just before 11:00 p.m. at the facility located in the Rockwood section of the Roane County Industrial Park.

The Roane County Sheriff’s Department, along with officers from the Rockwood and Harriman Police Departments, responded swiftly and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area. However, as of this morning, the juveniles have not been located and remain at large.

Roane Academy has operated in the Rockwood area for over 20 years and serves as a rehabilitation center for troubled youth. This incident comes roughly three weeks after another disturbance at the facility that required a multi-agency response, though the campus had reportedly remained quiet since then—until last night’s escape.

Authorities have not released the identities of the teens or details on how the escape occurred. The investigation is ongoing, and officials say they will continue efforts to locate the individuals.