Convicted child sex offender serving 30-year sentence escapes Missouri hospital

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A “dangerous” convicted child sex offender is on the run after escaping from a Missouri hospital, police have said.

Tommy Wayne Boyd, who was convicted of statutory sodomy of a child in 1996, managed to evade two guards to leave the St Louis County infirmary without any struggle around 3.45am on Thursday.

The 45-year-old is serving a 30-year sentence at Potosi Correctional Facility and had been transferred to Mercy Hospital South for treatment when he got out.

The alarm was raised with officers from the Affton Southwest Precinct at 4.30am with Boyd setting off in an unknown direction.

The nearby Lindbergh School has said it has entered a lockdown in response to the escape with extra security, although lessons will go ahead - KMOV 4 reported.

A statement from Mercy Hospital South said: “There was no physical confrontation, no one was hurt and video surveillance shows the escapee leaving the hospital.

“While there is no evidence he is still on the hospital campus, to ensure the safety of everyone, we are conducting a complete search of all our buildings.”

Boyd is nearing the end of his 30-year sentence that was given in 1996 for first-degree statutory sodomy when the victim was 11-years-old and he was 18.

It has not been reported how he got past the two guards who were said to be on duty at the time Boyd fled the hospital. It is also unclear what his treatment was for and if he had undertaken this at the time of the escape. He had arrived at the hospital on Wednesday.

"He should be considered dangerous,” a Missouri police statement read. “It is unknown if he is armed.

“Anyone seeing Boyd should immediately call 911."

They released an image of Boyd wearing a black jumper or jacket, white shorts, and orange sandals. He is around 1m 70cm in height, has thinning hair and weighs 69kg.