by Nick Delgado

Guam - The 18-year-old that escaped from the Department of Youth Affairs facility this week was magistrated in the Superior Court today. Blaine Glenn Cruz Bamba was charged with ordinary escape as a misdemeanor.

Court documents state that Bamba was performing yard work as part of a clean-up crew at the Mangilao facility before he was seen leaving the area and exiting through a hole in the fence towards the south side of the compound.

Law enforcement personnel launched a search for Bamba, along with a 17-year-old male that also escaped. Authorities were able to locate the pair in Harmon after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen. Bamba also provided an oral statement indicating, "We were bush cutting in the back of DYA and we were sniffing gas and we just started walking out of DYA. I didn't know what I was doing all I remember is seeing a lot of cows and then we passed the baseball field and ran to my friends house and got clothes and something to eat, then hid in the jungle till dark in the back of GCC then we walked to Chalan Pago.

DYA officials have said the two are not a threat and were initially detained for criminal charges relating to drug and alcohol abuse. The DYA clients were placed back at the youth facility and will continue their drug and alcohol treatment.