Cook County sheriff’s police on Wednesday were still searching for a 31-year-old suspect who authorities said escaped custody Tuesday afternoon while handcuffed inside the Markham courthouse.
Vivian McGee, of Harvey, had been handcuffed to a rail and left unattended in an attorney-client conference room on the second floor of the courthouse, but officers noticed about 11:30 a.m. that she was gone, sheriff’s police said. McGee has been missing since.
“We are following up on some promising leads,” said sheriff’s spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.
Ansari declined to release additional details about McGee’s escape but did reiterate that she was in handcuffs and was able to get out of them.
McGee was arrested Friday in Harvey for allegedly trying to shoplift from a drugstore, sheriff’s police said. Authorities learned she had two outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court for two other cases, one that involved retail theft.
The Markham courthouse was briefly locked down Tuesday after McGee’s disappearance was noticed, sheriff’s police said. The department’s fugitive-apprehension unit was brought in to aid in the search.
After her arrest Friday, McGee was taken to the County Jail on Saturday to await transfer to the courthouse, sheriff’s police said.
McGee is described as 5-foot-4 and 125 pounds, sheriff’s police said. She was wearing navy blue jail-issued clothing.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter.