Action News 5 - Memphis, TennesseePrison escapees attack woman inside her home

Prison escapees attack woman inside her home

Posted: Updated:
CORINTH, MS -

(WMC-TV) - A North Mississippi mother is shaken after two prison escapees broke out of jail and attacked her in her own home.

After allegedly assaulting a prison guard to escape, 31-year-old David Payton and 27-year-old Kendrick Lamont Davis ran to a nearby subdivision where they are said to have assaulted a woman in front of her daughter.

"He hit me and knocked me back and just started swinging and punching with rage," said the female victim.  "My little girl was screaming the whole time.  I was balled up in a corner calling 911."

The victim, who asked to remain anonymous, said Davis came to the back door of her home and threatened to kill her.  He then started beating her.  The victim managed to get away and call 911.

"When I actually started calling the police, they ran out, and when he got out of my room, I closed the door and pushed a chest in front of the door until authorities got there," said the victim.

The escapees hid in different parts of the house, but within minutes, were back in custody.

The two left a trail of violence that started at 7:49 a.m. when they assaulted a corrections officer, handcuffing him to a piece of equipment in the recreation yard.  They then scaled a razor-wire fence.  One of the escapees was significantly injured in the process.

"After assaulting a corrections officer and scaling two fences, Kendrick Davis and David Payton went through this gate, which was open at the time, because there was an inmate transport in progress," said warden Doug Mullins.

The female victim said she is not comforted by their capture.

"I'm afraid that somebody else might decide to see, if those two got out, that they could try it themselves," she said.  "That's my biggest fear."

Corinth's police chief said Davis and the woman know each other, but he does not know what provoked the confrontation.

Neither men are from Alcorn County.  Davis is from Sharkey County and Payton is from Hinds County.

Copyright 2012 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.

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