Authorities search for prison inmate mistakenly released from Ohio jail
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan prison inmate who was transported to an Ohio court has been missing for nearly two months after being mistakenly released from a jail there, authorities said Monday.
Christopher Bibbs Jr., who has an arm tattoo that says "only the strong survive," was "incorrectly released" from the Warren County, Ohio, jail on March 23, the Michigan Corrections Department said.
Bibbs, 21, likely is in the Detroit area, the department said.
"A series of efforts were undertaken to locate Bibbs, including working with his family. The department is now seeking the public's help in locating him," the agency said.
Bibbs began serving a minimum four-year sentence for carjacking in May 2022. In Ohio, he was facing charges in a different case, said Maj. Brett Richardson, administrator of the Warren County jail.
"After going to court here, his paperwork states, 'defendant may now be released,' " Richardson said.
There was no "paperwork in his inmate file stating that he would need to be returned to Michigan," Richardson said.
Michigan Corrections Department spokesman Chris Gautz acknowledged that Bibbs' disappearance wasn't publicized when it occurred in March.
"Sometimes they just turn themselves in," Gautz said.