MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A man escaped police custody Wednesday while at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, the NYPD said.
Police said Yenchun Chen, 44, was arrested on July 31 and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was brought to the hospital due to a medical issue on Aug. 4, according to police.
Authorities said Chen managed to escape by tying together bed sheets and towels to climb down from the fifth floor to the second floor. From there, police said Chen used a ladder to get from the second floor to the first floor.
Chen fled in a taxi going southbound on 2nd Avenue, police said.
The suspect is described as approximately 6’3″ and 250 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Police said Chen has tattoos on his left arm and left hand.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
