An escapee from the Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Center was returned to police custody on Monday afternoon.
Detectives said 15-year-old Dennis Rice climbed over a fence from inside the Detention Center's recreation area around 5 PM Sunday. The search resumed early Monday morning with several units, including some from the New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force.
Rice had been placed at Hillbrook on a pending felony charge. Onondaga County Sheriff PIO John Seeber explained that a fugitive search means the Sheriff's Office had little choice but to release a photo and description of Rice, to make finding him possible:
“He’s still considered a juvenile delinquent but, again, we still take the same measures as if he was an adult. We’d like to get him back in custody obviously, in the location he should be.”
The suspect approached an Onondaga County Community College Student on the OCC campus Sunday night asking for clothing and a ride. When he was denied both, he attempted to swipe the student's cell phone, but was not successful.
Rice was found at around 2:30 pm Monday, in an apartment at the Seneca Garden Apartment Complex on Riverdale Drive. He will now face additional charges of Escape in the 1st degree (a felony) on top of his original charge.
