Escapee's father pleading for man's return

The father of a man who escaped from custody in St. John's over the weekend is pleading for his son to come back.

Jason Daniel Earle, 18, has been on the run since Saturday morning when he took off during a scheduled prisoner transfer. It's been a difficult 48 hours for his father, Bill Earle, who told CBC News he hopes his son will see this story.

"Phone just me and let me know where you're to, boy. I'll deal, I'll deal with what I got to deal with," said Earle.

Jason Earle, who was in the custody of Justice Department officials, was being transferred just before 10 a.m. from one facility to another on Parade Street.

He wasn't cuffed and somehow managed to escape. He was last seen running down Cookstown Road in midtown St. John's.

"Gone like a jackrabbit. He just turned and bolted and that was it. He was gone. They said he was gone like a jackrabbit," said Bill Earle.

The police were called in and Jason's father was also alerted.

"We checked the area, did a full search around the area," said Bill Earle.

"Obviously, it was planned. Somebody picked him up and that was it. There's no doubt in my mind, somebody picked him up."

Bill says his son struggles with mental illness and he hasn't been taking his medication for many days.

Police are warning the public not to approach Jason Earle if they see him, but Bill Earle doesn’t expect he’ll harm anyone.

"He's more of a threat to himself than to the general public," he said.