Daetron Grant (right), Ritchie Hicks (center), Ja-Quan Brewton
Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Department of Juvenile Justice officers are searching for three teens who escaped custody Monday morning.
Columbia police say the teens were on their way to a medical appointment on Taylor Street around 9:30 a.m..
DJJ officials say the 'juveniles' were in handcuffs and shackles in the van on Taylor Street and were headed to an eye appointment.
Police say the teens were transported in a van wearing handcuffs and shackles. As they were being taken out of the van, however, they were out of handcuffs and shackles, and ran from the area toward Oak Street.
The teens have been identified as the following:
17-year-old Ritchie Rashawri Hicks of Clarendon County
18-year-old Daetron Diontrae Grant of Richland County
18-year-old Ja-Quan Brewton of Spartanburg County.
They were also last seen wearing khaki shorts and white T-shirts. They wore teal-colored polo shirts in the DJJ transport van.