VERNON, Texas (KXAN) – The search has intensified for an Austin man who escaped from a state psychiatric hospital on Sunday night.
Alexander Ervin had been at North Texas State Hospital in Vernon since a jury acquitted him in 2014 of his father’s murder by reason of insanity.
Ervin was seen scaling an eight-foot fence at the state hospital before running off.
Police chief there Randy Agan said they have since spent more staff and time finding him out of fear he could turn violent.
“Everyone has expressed concern if he hasn’t received his medication, that he will become more violent. And that is an extreme concern for us here in Vernon,” Agan said.
Agan said partners in the search include the Texas Rangers, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Attorney General’s Office and the US Marshal’s Office, along with the Wilbarger County Sheriff’s Department.
He said they have searched dozens of buildings in and around Vernon, and are also searching for Ervin by air.
“We have used aircraft that try to search dense areas with… technology and radar systems to determine if someone may be hiding within the dense areas along the river and… around other areas that have a high density of brush and trees.” , said. “Or anything that might obscure the obstructive view of just driving and looking at it.”
Agan said he couldn’t comment on how Ervin could have escaped from the state hospital.
New data shows the struggle to hire staff at state hospitals. In a presentation to state legislators this week, Texas Health and Human Services said they have more than 1,000 open positions at state hospitals, showing a graph showing the decline in staffing since 2020.
Spokeswoman Kelli Weldon said they have reduced the number of patients at Vernon to ensure they meet staffing standards set by the Joint Commissioner.
“We need additional staff and are actively working to recruit and hire additional team members to provide care and treatment to the psychiatric patients we serve at the hospital,” Weldon wrote in an email to KXAN.
According to the HHS presentation, hospitals across the state are operating at reduced capacity, with more than 700 beds out of service.
When asked how someone could have escaped from the facility and where the guards were on Sunday night, Weldon said they couldn’t provide that information.
“We have staff present 24/7 at the facility. We take facility security very seriously, and for security reasons, we are unable to provide specific information on security measures,” Weldon wrote.
Weldon also said that when there is a fugitive, generally the protocol is to alert law enforcement and, if appropriate, HHSC Provider Investigations, which also investigates allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Weldon added that they also review to strengthen policies and procedures as needed.
Agan said they will also investigate how Ervin escaped from the hospital, but will focus on finding him first.
“We have notified all the neighboring agencies and agencies in Austin, where Ervin is from, and they are conducting searches in their areas,” he said.
He encouraged people to be alert.
“Be careful of your surroundings. If you see something, call it out. Nothing is too small,” he said.
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