Deputies Launch Hunt for Escaped Inmate

Sheriff’s deputies have launched a manhunt for an accused kidnapper who escaped Friday from the downtown Criminal Courts Building.

Arturo Navarro, 25, who is charged with child abduction, kidnapping and wife beating, was last seen Friday morning on a sheriff’s bus from a county jail in Saugus.

Navarro, was scheduled to appear for jury selection in his trial, but was not escorted inside the courthouse at Temple and Spring streets, authorities said Saturday.

Detectives found part of a county jail uniform near Los Angeles City Hall, and believe that Navarro may have taken off running through downtown. “If he did run, he may have run in that direction,” said Det. Robert Barrios.

A bus driver and three sheriff’s deputies escorted 32 inmates from Pitchess Detention Center to the courthouse Friday morning. Navarro was handcuffed to two other inmates during the ride, but deputies removed the handcuffs when the bus arrived at a courthouse garage about 6:30 a.m.

Deputies escorted the inmates to the courthouse lockup, handcuffed them again and took them to their courtrooms. The Sheriff’s Department had no record of Navarro’s entering the courthouse, Barrios said.

Detectives believe that Navarro may have waited until he was no longer handcuffed, hidden beneath the bus and waited for the oversized garage door to open before fleeing. “He took advantage of what was offered him and off he went,” Barrios said.

Detectives interviewed the other inmates on the bus as well as Navarro’s relatives and friends. Family members have been “somewhat uncooperative,” and his friends said they had not heard from Navarro since his escape, Barrios said.

Navarro, arrested by Los Angeles police officers in July, is accused of hitting his ex-wife repeatedly and abducting his 5-year-old son during a bitter custody dispute, authorities said. He was being held on $250,000 bail.

Deputy Richard Pena described Navarro as Latino, 5 feet 8 and 168 pounds. Detectives believe he is still in Los Angeles County.

The Sheriff’s Department tightened security procedures after the highly publicized escape of attempted murderer Kevin Pullum, who slipped out of the Twin Towers jail in July by using a fake identification card with a photo of actor Eddie Murphy as “Dr. Dolittle.”