This is what scares parents

As many of you know, I have two daughters. I know that I talk about Munchkin more than I do Trouble, but Trouble is almost 24 and has been out of the nest a lot longer. That doesn't mean I don't worry about her any less. This is what I have been dealing with all day from my office:

Second escapee captured after allegedly killing female guard

Yes, at approximately 10:30 AM this morning I received a breaking news bulletin from our local news that two prisoners from Huntsville State Prison had escaped and killed a female guard. I have been watching the streaming video feeds all day as they have had the entire City on lock down.

Huntsville is a college town as well as a prison town. The campus is just a few blocks away from a portion of the prison grounds. The Walls Unit, where the executions take place, is just three blocks from the end of the campus. Huntsville is the headquarters for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (the only State agency that is not headquartered in Austin) as well as the county seat for Walker County.

While there are a number of other things that the city would like to be known for, such as this 66 foot tall statue of Sam Houston that can be seen from I-45, the truth is that everyone in Texas knows whre the prision is.

To understand why I am also concerned, you must understand that Huntsville State Park and the Piney Woods of East Texas (The majority of the commercial timber growing and wood processing in the state of Texas takes place in the Piney Woods region, which contains about 50,000 km² (12.5 million acres) of commercial forestland. This area includes at least 17 state parks: Atlanta State Park, Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site, Caddo Lake State Park, Daingerfield State Park, Governor Hogg Shrine Historic Site (Quitman) , Huntsville State Park, Jim Hogg Historic Site (Rusk) , Lake Bob Sandlin State Park, Lake Livingston State Park, Martin Creek Lake State Park, Martin Dies Jr. State Park (Jasper) , Mission Tejas State Park, Rusk and Palestine State Parks, Starr Family State Historic Site, Texas State Railroad State Park, Tyler State Park, and Village Creek State Park. Four National Forests - Angelina (Angelina County, Nacogdoches County, San Augustine County, and Jasper County) , Sabine, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston (Huntsville) - are found in the "Piney Woods" of East Texas. These National Forests include some 634,912 acres (2,569 km²) in 12 counties.) There are a lot of trees and areas that a person(s) like that could potentially hide in.

Thank goodness that the departments involved are always ready and have the resources to track these people down. It was still very hard to feel so helpless as I watched the streaming feeds from the news helicopters and not worry.

I am glad that they caught him. I feel deeply saddened that the female office on horseback was killed while trying to recapture them. My prayers and sympathy go out to her family as do my thanks for her doing her job.

Yes, I have heard from Trouble twice today and all is well. Soon, I will have pictures from her campus to post as we head north up I-45 to see her soon.