The NYPD is on the hunt for prisoner Yenchun Chen, who daringly escaped from the Manhattan hospital by rappelling down from the fifth floor with sheets tied together and then fleeing in a yellow cab
- Yenchun Chen, 44, has been on the run since he fled Beth Israel Medical Center at 281 First Avenue on Wednesday
- Chen was jailed for criminal possession of a controlled substance
- Police are asking for the public’s help in locating him
New York City police are searching for a six foot, 250 pound prisoner who made a daring escape from a Manhattan hospital.
Yenchun Chen, 44, was in custody at the Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center Correctional Facility at 281 First Avenue when he was released around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The hulking prisoner has been in hospital since Friday after suffering from heart problems.
Chen was allegedly in the shower when he escaped by tying bed sheets together and rappelling himself out of a fifth floor window.
When the correctional officers checked on him, they found that the bathroom window was open and Chen was gone.
An NYPD spokesman confirmed to that “the prisoner escaped from the hospital through a fifth-story window onto the street and fled southbound on 2nd Avenue in a yellow cab.”
Mugshot: Yenchun Chen, 44, was arrested on July 31 for criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was reportedly awaiting his court date, which was scheduled for later in the month
Chen was last seen in a white shirt and tan khaki pants. He was still wearing his hospital bracelets during his daring escape
Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center on First Avenue is where Chen fled on Wednesday
The police described that Chen was medium complexion and 1.80 meters tall. 3 inches tall and about 250 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He also has tattoos on his left arm and left hand.
When he broke out of the medical facility, he was dressed in a white shirt and tan khaki pants and was still wearing his hospital armbands.
One of the nurses told WABC 7 that she was “shocked” when she heard a prisoner escape through a window.”
It is unclear which prison Chen was held in.
Chen was arrested on July 31 for criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was reportedly awaiting his court date, which was scheduled for later in the month.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this individual is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or in Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
The public can also submit their tips by subscribing to the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
It had previously been reported that Chen had been captured, but the NYPD confirmed to that he is still on the mend.